


Textile As A Medium

by HattoriPornzo



Series: Britches and Hose [1]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: A wild Ben Solo appears, Aftercare, Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Anal Fingering, Anal Plug, Anal Sex, Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bathing/Washing, Bit of an undernegotiated scene because Passion! And feelings!, Body Worship, Boss/Employee Relationship, Brat, Break Up, Breathplay, Brendol Hux is a dick, Come Marking, Come Swallowing, Comeplay, Consensual Kink, Crack Treated Seriously, Daddy Kink, Depression, Dom/sub, Double Penetration, Drinking, F/M, Falling In Love, Finnpoe- freeform, Fluff, Grooming, Holidays, Idiots in Love, Kink Negotiation, Light Bondage, Lingerie, Makeup Sex, Mutual Masturbation, Oral Sex, Orgasm Control, Pampering, Porn with Feelings, References to ABBA, Riding Crops, Romance, Rough Sex, Safe Sane and Consensual, Semi-Public Sex, Sex Toys, Smut, Spanking, Sugar Daddy, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Vaginal Sex, Wax Play, Whipping, Workplace Relationship, light petplay?, the author does not apologize for the roller coaster of emotions, what are feelings, whoops I wrote too much
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-05
Updated: 2018-09-06
Packaged: 2019-04-18 19:24:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 106,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14220084
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HattoriPornzo/pseuds/HattoriPornzo
Summary: Armitage Hux was one of the most up and coming lingerie designers in the fashion world. Estranged from his military family, he had decided to pursue a success he could call his own. His discerning eye and impeccable taste made him uniquely skilled to craft that which he found truly beautiful. And what he found beautiful was made of intricate lace and fine silk.-Rey took a deep breath. She had officially gone off the deep end. What had started out as curiosity somehow ended up being hours of research on the sugar baby lifestyle. It seemed too good to be true but after watching dozens of videos on YouTube and scrolling through various sites, she found herself downloading an app she'd read about. She could do this, she told herself, armed with the sage advice of the internet.-He was lonely. She was broke. It started out as an arrangement. It became more complicated when she turned out to be the new hire at the label he worked for.





	1. Chase the Shadows Away

**Author's Note:**

> Un-beta'd but I had to get it out there, this idea's been haunting me for awhile.

High above a New York City street, smoke rolled out of a pair of pale pink frowning lips, dissolving into the crisp breeze. Narrowed green eyes watched from an office balcony as people strolled by below, the dark bags surrounding them illustrating the sleep deprivation of their owner. 

People laughing. People holding hands. People with families. With lovers. 

With a disdainful flick of his cigarette, Hux rolled his shoulders and headed back into his office, resisting the urge to run a shaking hand through his perfectly combed hair as he closed the balcony door behind him. Sitting back in his plush leather chair, he glanced over his desk, eyes taking in half completed sketches, various memos and notes about future orders, and meticulously organized pencils, pens, and other supplies of his trade. 

Armitage Hux was one of the most up and coming lingerie designers in the fashion world. Estranged from his military family, he had decided to pursue a success he could call his own. His discerning eye and impeccable taste made him uniquely skilled to craft that which he found truly beautiful. And what he found beautiful was made of intricate lace and fine silk. Each set he designed was a small piece of wearable art, and the price tags matched the labor and thought put into them. When he had begun designing at Le Premier Ordre, a haute couture lingerie house, he knew he was destined for greatness. He rose in prominence quickly and was well on his way to being a darling of the fashion world, with more than a few succesful shows, collections, and interviews under his belt. He was a man who never faltered, who executed designs with precision and met his due dates well in advance. 

For all these reasons and more, the sketches laying on his desk- and not his work table where they should be- ought to have been completed. He sucked in a breath, rubbing at his dry, tired eyes. Hux had never before struggled with a lack of inspiration. His eyes fickered to the calendar on his desk, covered in neatly written notes. September 30th. In a few months, he would be 35. 

' _And what do you have to show for it? No wife. No children. No future_ ,' his father's voice rang in his head, cold as ice.

Letting out an indignant huff, as if to laugh at the notion, he leaned back in his chair. Attatchments, Armitage had learned, were not for him. No, he told himself...what he needed was a long, hard fuck. Maybe regular long, hard fucks. And maybe someone to talk to besides himself, he noted wryly. Someone to distract him from his insuferable boss and his deadlines and the tension building between his shoulder blades.

He picked up a pen and set his jaw, determined to get some work done. He could give the idea more thought later.

-

Far from the offices of the Manhattan garment district, four scratched, bright pink wheels zoomed over bustling Brooklyn sidewalks. A landscape of bright graffiti passed by Rey, blurred but beautiful as music pulsed from a pair of decidedly battered-looking headphones around her neck, kept in functioning order with some mechanic ingenuity and generous amounts of duct tape. 

She popped her red skateboard as she came to a stop in front of a local grocer's. Stepping into the store, she pulled a reusable bag from her backpack and skimmed the ailes for the essentials on her list. Before lining up at the checkout, she took her wallet out from her bag and counted her money again, doing the math in her head. She hated realizing she didn't have enough money once she had already been rung up. Okay, she thought, looking at the crumpled bills in her wallet. This plus the change rolling around in the bottom of her bag should be enough...

She put the items down on the counter and laid out her money as the cashier rang them up. An older man shuffled impatiently in line behind her, letting out a weary sigh as she finished counting out her coins. Slinging her backpack over her shoulders again, she cleared her throat and nodded in apology, grabbing her bag of groceries and dashing out of the store. 

On her skateboard once again, she sailed down the sidewalk, the September breeze playing with the hair that had come loose from her ponytail. A man in a car honked at her and whistled from his rolled down window. Rey quickly flipped him off. By now it was an automatic reflex. She knew it had less to do with her ravishing attire- an oversized, brightly patterened hoodie and thrifted skinny jeans- and more to do with the need to exert power over a girl minding her own business. 

She started to count in her mind how many meals she could stretch out from the groceries she just bought. Not many, she decided with a weary sigh, but between rent and student debt, there was little to be done about it. Rey considered herself lucky that she had a roommate to split rent and a somewhat decent part time job at the university. 

She slowed herself down as she came to her building, picking up her skateboard and walking the remaining ten feet or so until she was at the door. She climbed the three flights of stairs to her and Finn's apartment with ease, tapping the toe of her foot against the door when she came to her apartment.

“Who is it?,” Finn shouted from the other side of the door.

“Publisher's Clearing House!,” Rey replied sardonically.

The door swung open and Finn gave her as dry a look as he could with a toothbrush in his mouth. Rey chuckled as she came inside, closing the door behind her with her foot as her roomate retreated to their shared bathroom to finish getting ready for work.

“Late shift today?,” Rey called from their kitchen, more an area of the apartment than an actual room. She set the bag of groceries down on the yellowed countertop and started putting them away.

The sound of running water could be heard for a second before Finn answered, “Yep! They switched schedules on us so I'll be working late for the next few weeks!”

Rey frowned at that. The evenings were their time to hang out together, but she knew work came first. Finn worked as a security guard for a private company, despite his degree in mechanical engineering. The job market was tough these days, even with a degree. A lot of people she knew in college had moved back in with their parents on an indefinite basis after graduating. 

Rey and Finn didn't have family to lean on, though. Just each other. It was sheer luck that they had met in the first place. Rey's good grades and sob story had made her a desireable candidate to universities. It was there that she met the handsome boy who quickly became her best friend, even if she had been standoffish at first. Truth be told, she never had a best friend. She scarcely ever had any friends at all but Finn was nothing if not persistant and once she realized he wasn't going to leave her alone, she became attached rather fast. 

As she finished putting the groceries away, she looked out the window at the last remnants of the setting sun, the sky mostly dark now. Their apartment was cramped and dingy but it had a lot of windows, thankfully, and a windowsill where she could grow small plants. It wasn't a bad life, she mused.

Finn rushed into the living area, interrupting her thoughts as he stopped to tug on his shoes, shouting over his shoulder, “Gotta head out!”

Rey opened her mouth but he cut her off, knowing what she'd ask. “Already ate! Night, Rey!,” and with that, he was out the door.

“Night...,” Rey said to the empty space where he'd stood a moment before. He seemed unusually excited to go to work. Heaving a sigh, she grabbed a cup of instant ramen and set about making her dinner.

-

The ramen hadn't filled her up, but then again, Rey was always hungry. She sank down into the small tub in their bathroom, the heat of the water soothing her aching muscles. One of the few things Rey couldn't feel guilty over pampering herself with regularly was a hot bath. She picked up her phone from the towel on the floor next to her and opened YouTube, letting herself veg out while watching Vine compilations and giving more than the occasional unladylike cackle when one really got to her. 

After half an hour or so, she let the bathtub drain and decided to check her e-mail before getting out. It was mostly offers and coupons and she deleted them in quick succession. Then she noticed there was an e-mail from the university, marked important. She sat up in the tub and opened it. Her eyes darted over the words on the screen, seeing them in bits and pieces rather than whole sentences. Her heart leapt into her throat.

“ **Ms. Sanderson, we regret to inform you...** ”  
“ **...budget cuts...** ”  
“ **...are no longer able to offer you employment...** ”

This couldn't be happening. Tears blurred her vision. If she was barely scraping by with her meager TA's salary, there was no way she'd make it without it. She exited out of the e-mail, fingers rushing to contact the professor she had always turned to for guidance, who had been the one to suggest she work for her as a TA in the first place. She stopped when she realized there was already an email from the older woman.

“ **Maz Kanata** ” stood out against the glowing white of the screen and she tapped on the message with a little more force than necessary. The email was full of apologies and promises that she would help Rey find a new job, that she had no say in the matter and was deeply saddened to lose her best TA but that everything happened for a reason and this was just another step on her journey; reassuring platitudes.

Rey dropped her phone onto the towel by the tub and sank down, all the water having drained, leaving her naked and cold. She remained there for another ten minutes at least, thoughts rushing around her head. She would be able to finish the semester, which gave her until December to find a new job but it wasn't as if she hadn't constantly kept an eye out for one before. Chewing her lip, she stood and gathered her phone and towel, striding over to her bedroom and pulling a pair of pajama shorts and an old t-shirt from a drawer. 

A new resolve welled within her. She had been in far worse situations before. The was nothing, she told herself. Rey was a survivor. She pulled back her covers and made herself comfortable. Opening Google on her phone, she typed in a search: “how to make money fast”.

-

Hux left his office later than almost anyone else in the building. He approached the elevator, jacket and briefcase in hand, and pressed the down button as a towering figure came up beside him. He actually had to look up to see the face of the woman in the silvery gray and red suit beside him, but he already knew who it was. If there was anyone who was as dedicated to their job as he was, it was office manager Ariana Phasma. Hux didn't socialize enough to call anyone a close friend but if he had to choose someone to attach the label to, it would be the statuesque woman as his side.

“Hux,” she intoned.

“Phasma,” he replied in greeting with a nod.

They rode the elevator to the underground parking garage in companionable silence and quietly bid each other good night as they made their way to their respective vehicles. Hux sat his briefcase and jacket in the passenger's side seat before throwing the car in reverse to make his way out of the garage. The ride home was blissfully quiet. 

When at last he arrived home, he was greeted by the wailing of a very annoyed and very hungry orange tabby. One of the first things Hux had done when he struck out on his own was purchase a cat. He had never been allowed pets as a child and it was done largely in the spirit of rebellion but Millicent had become a comforting presence in his life. A small spot of brightness. 

“I know, darling, I'm home rather late, aren't I?,” he murmured to her as he made his way to his refrigerator and pulled out a pre-portioned package of cat food. Shortly after bringing her home, Hux realized he knew nothing about caring for animals but after a few quite literally hairy months, he came to enjoy spoiling his girl. 

With Millicent fed, Hux went about ordering dinner for himself. The good thing about living in the city that never sleeps was that it was very accommodating for a man who kept a schedule like Hux's. He scrolled through the delivery options on his phone before settling on sushi. He placed the order and headed to his bedroom to change. As he walked into his closet, a room in it's own right, his mind wandered back to his thoughts earlier that day. There was no denying it. Hux was...lonely. How long had it been since he'd had real companionship; more than just a lay? Four years or more, at least. Hux liked solitude. He liked quiet. It was familiar and comfortable. But he was only human.

So where does an independently wealthy man of taste go to find a companion? The thought of having to be social made him frown deeply. Everything about “dating” was highly undignified. Hux was not some sweaty palmed school boy hoping to catch the eye of his crush and he was not the type to cruise for tail in a bar. Besides that, Hux had certain...tastes. Proclivities. He wasn't going to waste his time with someone who would be potentially frightened away the minute things got a little rough in the bedroom. 

He emerged from his closet in a pair of black silk Tom Ford pajama pants and a black cotton t-shirt. Passing through the living room, he turned on the TV, settling on a late night talk show. A moment later, there was a knock at the door. He answered and took the sushi from the delivery girl with a quick nod of thanks, closing the door in her face a bit hastily. Hux did not like people in his home and even just standing in the doorway seemed like an invasion of his personal space. He left her a generous tip using the service on his phone that made up for his behavior well enough. 

Placing the sushi on the counter, he plucked a pair of chopsticks from a drawer and set them down beside his meal before pulling a crisp white china plate from a cabinet. Moving deftly about the kitchen, he poured himself a glass of wine, arranged his meal on his plate, disposed of the to-go containers, and only then did he finally sit down at the counter to enjoy his food. From the other room, the talk show audience applauded and cheered noisily. 

There were only two bar stools at the kitchen island. There would have been only one since he had no use for two but the asymmetry irked him. Besides, Millicent liked to join him for meals. As if on cue, a ball of orange fur appeared on his right, looking very interested in her owner's meal but equally intent on seeming aloof. Hux reached over to scratch behind her ears. 

“If only one could order lovers like sushi,” he thought out loud, amusement in his voice. Millicent purred in agreement.

The moment the words left his mouth, he wanted to smack himself. Of course one could order lovers like sushi. This was the 21st century, after all. He pulled out his phone and began his research. He had never attempted online dating- the very idea was gauche. He knew, however, that there were services that he could use to make the kind of arrangement he desired. It was perfect, really. He had no desire to lead on some girl with hope of marriage and romance when all he desired was steady sex and hopefully conversation. If he had to pay her for it, all the better. With an agreement in place, there would be no hurt feelings. It was good business and Hux always appreciated good business. After a few minutes of searching, he downloaded an app that had good reviews and a reputation for success. Most importantly, it promised discretion. The fact that eligible bachelor Armitage Hux was using a “sugar daddy” dating service was not one he particularly wanted spread around.

He set about filling out the profile, choosing a photo where his identity wouldn't immediately be recognized but that showed enough of his face so that anyone who saw it would notice his handsome features. Hux would be the last to admit he was a little vain but that didn't mean it wasn't true. His fingers hovered over the box that said “username” for a moment. 

He chose the name of a character he had admired as a boy, from a book his nanny had read to him.

**Mr. Fox, M, 34**

Hux set his phone down and moved to the sink to wash and put away his plate and chopsticks. He downed the rest of his wine and put away the glass as well. Phone in hand once again, he made his way back to his bedroom, Millicent hot on his heels. Retrieving rolling papers and tobacco from his nightstand, he settled down near a large window facing the street, opening it halfway to let in the cold Autumn air. Down the hall, the laughter of the talk show audience reverberated off the walls, highlighting how empty the house seemed. He picked up his phone again to glance at the time.

Midnight. He nearly laughed at himself. Lonely at midnight, an overworked 30-something man looking for sex on a sugar daddy dating site; he had become a cliche.

-

Rey took a deep breath. She had officially gone off the deep end. What had started out as curiosity somehow ended up being hours of research on the sugar baby lifestyle. It seemed too good to be true but after watching dozens of videos on YouTube and scrolling through various sites, she somehow found herself downloading an app she'd read about. She could do this, she told herself, armed with the sage advice of the internet. 

She was surprised and happy to see that if you signed up with a .edu email, you got a premium membership at no additional charge. She filled out the various questions the app supplied about what she looked like and what kind of allowance she was looking for and soon she was able to see the profiles of men and women in her area. With some prompting from the app, she was lead to an “about me” section where she filled in paragraphs and answered questions about herself. After an hour or so, her profile was completely set up. This was real. She was doing this.

The first couple of profiles were exactly what she expected- blurry photos of older men who clearly did not know how to work a camera. She was surprised to see that there were actually a number a good looking people on the site, though. Like, really stupidly good looking. Why did any of these people have to pay someone to date them? She swiped right on a dark haired woman who was lounging by a pool in an expensive looking bikini. Rey had definitely dated worse. Maybe this sugar baby thing would be more fun than she'd expected.


	2. Break of Day

Hux took a long drag off his cigarette before tapping the ash out the window and exhaling through his nostrils. He had been scrolling through the app for at least half an hour. There were plenty of beautiful women, obviously well-bred, with degrees from prestigious universities. They should have met his qualifications yet they all seemed...too clean. Dull, in a word. Boring. He had gone into automatic mode, swiping left again and again when suddenly, he hesitated. Most of the photos he had seen so far seemed polished and professional- like actor's head shots or instagram model's carefully manipulated selfies. 

So to see a candid photo of a girl standing in the sun with a skateboard behind her back and an enormous toothy smile on her face seemed out of place. He huffed, almost a laugh. It really wasn't an especially flattering photo but in the setting sun, you could make out lean, tanned arms and legs and underneath the backwards baseball cap, chocolate brown hair. 

**Sunshine, F, 22**

He clicked on the profile picture and scrolled through the few photos she had up. Only one selfie, surprisingly, that revealed gorgeous hazel eyes and a smattering of freckles, and another candid shot of her on a train, looking out a window with a book in her hand and a soft smile on her face. Something about it made Hux's throat tight. Maybe he'd had too many cigarettes. 

Before the action had even registered in his mind, he had swiped right on her profile. His heart thudded against his chest once he had realized what he'd done but he quickly shook his head at himself. He was acting like a teen with a crush, mooning over pretty eyes and a pair of dimples.

Putting out his cigarette, his other hand came up to his phone to type a quick message.

**Are you free today? I'd like to treat you to a cup of coffee. I can offer you half of your desired allowance for the meeting.**

-

It was nearly 1 a.m. but Rey had found herself mesmerized by the app. It was like people watching from the comfort of her bed. She'd already had a few offers and most of them made her cringe. She'd also had to report two very sexually aggressive messages. He phone dinged. Another message.

The man in the photo was handsome, she could tell that much. He had firey red hair and high cheekbones. His message was incredibly straight forward, no emojis or embarrassing pick up lines. It was practically a business offer. Her eyes bulged when she read he'd pay half of her desired allowance. That was $500. Just to let this man treat her to a cup of coffee. 

She skimmed his profile. What was this guy's deal? At the bottom of the page, she read, “Must be comfortable with kink. Subs only.”

Her eyebrows shot up, one hand slapping over her mouth. Rey had never had any kind of experience with...that. It wasn't for lack of trying, though. She'd felt a bit unsatisfied in her previous relationships but her partners had always looked decidedly uncomfortable if she suggested anything heavier than light spanking and fuzzy cuffs on Valentine's Day.

She imagined the man in the profile picture standing above her. Ordering her. Dominating her. Rey licked her lips. 

$500 to have coffee with this guy? She could do that.

**I'm free any time after noon.**

She sent him the address of a coffee shop in Brooklyn, near enough to her neighborhood but in a much better area. 

When she finally went to sleep, she dreamed of a man in black with red hair and piercing eyes.

-

Rey pushed back the clothes in her closet, slowly eying each piece of clothing. Okay...what did she own that didn't make her look like some kind of street urchin...

As it turned out, not much. There were her work clothes but those seemed too plain to go on a date. Wait, was this a date? She decided it was enough like a date to wear a dress. Of which, she owned four in total. Three of those seemed too childish. Which left her with a burgundy thrift store find she'd snatched up for $5 last year. It had been new with tags and she excitedly told that to anyone who complimented it. The halter top dress complimented her figure very well but she rarely wore it for lack of occasion. Pairing it with her cropped leather jacket made her look actually put together, she decided. 

Her hair was another story. It had grown too long and she had some split ends but there was nothing to be done about that now. She let it dry in waves and ran a bit of product through it hoping it didn't look too messy. Thanks to some refresher courses on YouTube, the makeup she'd attempted looked pretty darn good. She thought so, at least. Hopefully good enough to not scare away a man willing to pay $500 for coffee and chit chat.

She tugged on a pair of black stockings and ankle boots with a reasonable heel, put her phone, wallet, a compact, and lipstick in her jacket pocket and checked the time again, making sure she'd reach the coffee shop at least 15 minutes before noon. She'd be less nervous if she got there first.

When Finn found out she was meeting someone form a dating app, he'd teased her relentlessly but agreed to be on standby in case she needed a quick out. 

“If you get even a hint of creep vibes, you text me right away, alright? I'll hang around the neighborhood until you text me you're good.”

She smiled at that, reminded yet again why she loved him so much. Grabbing a scarf from the coat rack by the door, she was off.

-

Hux sat at the counter in the coffee shop, drinking the strong tea he'd ordered. No milk or sugar. He preferred it bitter. His eyes were trained on the door, anticipation rattling his nerves, which made him grimace. He was dressed in a smart dark charcoal suit with a black t shirt, trying but failing to look casual. 

The girl lived in Brooklyn. It had been a bit of a drive. Ideally, he was looking for someone in Manhattan but he hadn't minded coming to meet her as much as he would have expected. It helped that the coffee shop had made him a surprisingly adequate tea. And that his mind had been preoccupied with thoughts of hazel eyes from the moment he woke up.

She stepped gingerly into the warm coffee shop, the aroma enveloping her. It was 14 minutes until noon. She should have gotten here in enough time to find a table and get comfortable before he arrived. Yet there he was. She did her best not to look flustered. At least he looked like his photo.

He walked over to her and extended a hand, clad in expensive black leather. She met his hand with her own, trying not to hum happily at the soft texture of the glove. 

“Nice to meet you, I'm Rey,” she said with a smile that showed off her dimples.

“Armitage, a pleasure. I didn't expect you to be-”

“-British,” she cut him off, equally surprised, her eyebrows coming up.

After half a beat, they both chuckled quietly.

“May I buy you a coffee? Or perhaps a tea?,” he asked, trying not to think about how much he'd liked seeing her smile. How he'd like to see it again.

“Tea would be lovely, thank you,” she replied, her cheeks feeling a bit hot after coming in from the cool Autumn wind.

They approached the counter together and she gave the barista her order. Earl Grey with lots of milk and room for sugar. Rey snuck glances at her would-be benefactor while the girl behind the counter made her drink. Her heart pounded in her chest. She knew he was good-looking from his photo but here in the light of day, she could see him more clearly. He was tall and that was saying something, coming from her. He was also gorgeous, with high cheekbones and full lips. Once she'd been handed her piping hot tea, the pair made their way to a table outside.

“Rey, was it?,” he intoned.

She nodded, taking the to-go lid off her tea to let it cool some.

“R-E-Y,” she said with a smile.

Hux felt trapped by that smile. He cleared his throat as quietly as possible.

“Do you mind if I smoke, Rey?”

She shook her head no and absentmindedly decided she liked how her name sounded coming from him. He took out a pre-rolled cigarette from a silver tin and lit it.

“How long have you lived in the states?,” he asked, genuinely curious, cigarette between his fingers.

“I was naturalized when I was a teenager, moved to New York for university,” she replied, though her response came off almost rehearsed.

Not a subject for discussion then. No matter. He wasn't too keen on talking about it either.

“And you?,” she asked.

He took a sip of his tea, cigarette still smoldering in his hand before answering. Rey didn't like the smell of most cigarettes but the rich tobacco he used smelled warm and rich.

“I came for university as well and afterward, found myself an ex-pat. Are you still a student?”

She shook her head.

“I graduated last year. I'm working as a TA for one of my professors now.”

Hux set his tea down on the table and gave Rey an appraising look. Of course the sun chose that moment to peak through the clouds and bathe her in light like she was some kind of gift from heaven, catching in her hair and giving it an auburn glow. He chewed the inside of his cheek. _Get it together, Armitage, you're not some horny teenager._

“I'd like to be frank, if I may.”

Rey nodded hesitantly, her little pink tongue darting out to lick a drop of tea from her lips. Because of course it did. Hux took a long drag from the cigarette. His eyebrows were drawn together.

“What were your goals when you joined the app?”

The question didn't surprise her, she had read that it was common on several sugar baby blogs but the sour look on his face made her anxious. Was he disappointed with her? Would he leave? 

“I would like to lessen my student debt,” she said quickly, “and I'd like to not worry so much about finances while working on furthering my career.”

The answer seemed to please him, he nodded and finally tore his eyes away from hers. She found herself hoping he would look up again. She didn't know there were such green eyes in the whole world. Hux continued.

“I don't date often. I'm not a romantic. I can offer to pay your desired allowance, per date, of course. In exchange, I'd like to see you a few times a month.” 

“ _P-per date_?,” she whispered, eyes wide, her voice suddenly hoarse.

Pale lashes flickered as his eyes met hers, full of unspoken meaning. “You understand what I expect of a partner?”

Rey's heart skipped a beat, knowing exactly to what he was referring, the words on his profile flashing in her head.

“I do,” she said, sitting up straight, hoping she was projecting confidence. She held her head up proudly, looking her square in the eye with a soft smile.

Hux swallowed thickly. 

“Then I believe we have an arrangement,” he said, holding out his hand again for her to take.

She couldn't help but laugh a little as she shook his hand, finding the business-like way he had conducted the meeting oddly charming. He was straightforward and she like that.

Hux observed as she shook his hand and laughed lightly. There were those dimples again. Surely, he was coming down with something. He moved to adjust the tie around his neck. He hadn't worn a tie today. Armitage Hux was in deep.

-

They'd exchanged phone numbers and parted ways a while later. He'd offered her a ride home but she said she enjoyed the walk and he hadn't pushed the issue, which she appreciated. Shortly after she left, her phone buzzed, alerting her to a text from Finn.

**U OK, girl?**

She tapped out a quick response.

**Yeah, it was nice! I just left. See you at home?**

He texted back a thumbs up emoji.

Her phone pinged again. She tapped the icon and her eyes widened, a hand coming up to cover her mouth to stop herself from shouting. Armitage had asked for her Paypal before she'd left but she hadn't expected him to pay her so soon. Yet sure enough, she now had $1,000 in her account that had not been there that morning. She stopped and leaned against the building next to her, her hands covering her face, trying not to hyperventilate. He said he'd pay her allowance _per date_ and that he'd pay her just for meeting but it hadn't seemed real until now. She stayed there for a few minutes, pressing her forehead against the brick of the building. People stepped around her and a few eyed her warily but didn't stop to say anything. New York was full of weirdos.

When at last she was sure she wasn't going to faint, she stood back and cleared her throat, brushing her hair away from her face and taking a deep breath. Okay. This was real. Rey Sanderson had a sugar daddy. A very handsome one who wore nice suits and had eyes that sparkled like a river in the summer sun. Damn, she felt sappy for thinking that but it was true. The man was beautiful.

When she got home, she plopped down on the worn but blessedly comfy couch in their living room, going over everything that had happened in the last 24 hours. Hell, it hadn't even been that long. Of course, though, now she had another issue. What to tell Finn? It wasn't like he'd be angry. She didn't think so, at least. Their friendship had survived her transferring universities. It'd survived his unrequited crush on her during their freshman year. He wasn't going to up and quit on her over this. She felt trepidation nonetheless.

Just then, the young man in question walked into the living area, interrupting her thoughts. 

“Hey! So? Tell me everything!,” he said in that playful older brother way that was uniquely his, shoving her feet aside so he could spread out on the other end of the sofa and grinning at her boyishly. 

“Where'd you go while I was at the coffee shop?,” she asked, hoping to distract him for a minute or two while she mulled over how much of her “date” to reveal to him.

“I just checked out some bookstores, found a pretty cool record shop. I was checking my phone constantly, though, like, I was so ready. The second you texted me, I was gonna be there all hulked out and ready to rumble!”

They laughed together, imagining him busting into the coffee shop, ready to defend her honor. 

“Thank you, I appreciate that,” she said, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

“It was good, though?,” he asked again.

“Yeah. He's nice. We exchanged numbers, I'm probably going to go out with him again.”

“Aww, my baby girl's got a crush,” he teased.

She rolled her eyes. This was a business arrangement, not a crush. She wasn't sure how to tell Finn that, though.

“So what this dude's name?”

“Armitage.”

“Armitage?,” Finn repeats, “The hell kinda name is Armitage?”

“He's English, actually. From London, I'd think.”

“Small world. Does he live in Brooklyn?”

“Manhattan.”

“Well, Armitage better treat you right, or I'm taking these hands to Manhattan,” he says, absolutely serious.

Rey laughs. They order pizza for dinner. Finn considers it a splurge. Rey doesn't tell him about the newly acquired money in her bank account.

Later that night as she lay in bed, she pulled out her phone and stared at Hux's number. This wasn't like a normal relationship, she knew, and that left her with a lot of questions. Was it okay to text him? Was she supposed to thank him for the money? 

“Thanks for the money, daddy!,” she imagined texting him with a little kissy emoji.

That seemed silly. He was more like an employer than a boyfriend. Or something in between the two, at least. Her fingers hovered over the screen before setting the phone back down with a sigh. 

He'd been...different than she expected. She'd known more or less what he would look like, of course, but it was the way he carried himself that surprised her. Polite yet precise; to the point. She thought about those leather gloves that had felt so good against her skin. Without her realizing it, she'd started lazily stroking up and down the expanse of her torso. Her nightshirt was bunched up under her breasts and she let her hands push underneath and come up to cup them, enjoying their softness and weight. 

She wondered if he would enjoy them as much; what exactly he'd do to her. Would he be rough with her? She imagined him pressing her into the mattress, his body folded over hers. One of her hands wandered down and under the elastic band of her shorts. She stroked her pussy lips slowly, teasing herself with feather light touches. Her other hand tweaked and pulled at her nipple and she bit her lip, imagining what his mouth would feel like on her skin. Slowly, she rubbed her clit with her middle finger and let out a soft sigh. It felt good but it wasn't enough. Reaching over to her bedside drawer, she pulled out a hefty pink vibrator and set it on the highest setting as she pushed her shorts down with her feet. Rolling onto her stomach, she pressed the head of the phallic jelly-like object to her clit and began rocking back and forth, imagining a ginger haired head between her thighs, teasing her with his tongue. 

She pressed her face into the mattress and in her mind, two hands in black leather gloves pulled her hips up into the air. Would he make her call him something like sir? Would he make her call him _daddy_? The thought made her groan and she rubbed the tip of the vibrator along her soaking folds, gathering moisture until it pressed against her tight hole, hot and slick. With a little difficulty, she slid the head of it inside her and the rest of it's length followed quickly. She let out a deep moan when it was all the way in, pressing against her just right. She imagined his weight on top of her, rocking into her, spanking her, fucking her relentlessly while he called her filthy things and filled her with his cock. 

Her free hand came down to rub at her clit as she pounded herself harder with her toy. It didn't take long before she was cumming, whimpering loudly and pressing her thighs together. She fell against the bed, breath coming out in pants. Her heart hammered and her forehead was slick with sweat. 

Maybe Finn was right; maybe she _did_ have a crush. She turned her face into her pillow and let out a muffled groan. This might have been a bad idea after all...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's usually a waiting period when you sign up for a SD app but for the sake of the fic, I'm ignoring that. $500 is actually pretty common per date if your sugar daddy is any good. The more you know.


	3. More Than Expected

The next day, Rey found herself busy with a few errands. The first of which was to go to the doctor's office and get a new prescription for birth control pills. It had been a year or so since she needed them and an expense she couldn't afford before. She'd picked up her prescription at CVS an hour later and was now standing in one of the aisles staring grimly at the rows of pink packages in front of her. She hadn't bought one of _these_ in a long time, either.

Heaving a sigh, she threw one of the pink packages in the small basket on her arm. _Goodbye majestic leg hair_ , she thought, as the razor joined the other items there- a box of condoms, lubricant, and some makeup items she suddenly felt she needed.

The last thing she did was drag herself to the campus to have a conversation with Maz and hopefully get some leads on a new job. She'd just made half her monthly salary on a coffee date but being a sugar baby wasn't what she'd call steady employment or her dream career.

The following day passed by uneventfully. She slipped out to secretly treat herself to felafel for dinner after Finn had left for work, seeming oddly enthusiastic once again. She'd have to make sure to ask him about that. 

-

“I need those samples _today_ , Mitaka. Not tomorrow or the day after. _Today_.”  
Hux practically slammed the phone down on his desk. Had everyone in his office agreed on a pact to give him an ulcer this week? It certainly felt like it. In just two weeks, they'd be having a trunk show and apparently he was the only one aware of their deadlines.

With a shaking breath, he pulled his cell phone from his jacket pocket. The last two days, he'd had one comforting thought he could count on and that was the thought of regular, no emotional involvement, _filthy_ sex. It was still early in the morning. He wouldn't ordinarily take a long lunch under the circumstances but he found himself fighting off a migraine and the need to see a certain pair of hazel eyes was overwhelming. Or rather, a certain pair of hazel eyes looking up at him while perfect pink lips sucked him off. A lunchtime quickie was just was the doctor ordered. 

He typed out a perfunctory message.

**Are you available for lunch?**

His phone buzzed barely a beat later, to his surprise.

**Is 1 okay? I can meet you then.**

They agreed on a place to meet near his work and he felt himself relax into his chair a bit.

-

Rey shot out of the university building as soon as she was done with her work. She'd have to be back later in the afternoon but she could definitely meet for lunch. Wait, was lunch _lunch_? Or was lunch _sex_? Either way, she was teeming with excitement and was relieved she'd worn something cute-ish to work that day. She wouldn't have time to change if she wanted to get to Manhattan on time.

She would also have to take an Uber and she'd cringe at the nearly $40 bill but reminded herself she'd be making another $1000 today as long as everything went well. The idea of that kind of money felt almost sinful. Rey was never a saint, though.

She texted him she was on the way and he sent her the address of a Cantonese style cafe. 

-

Hux had been looking at his phone when he heard a bell-like voice beside him. She had on a black coat and an oversized yellow knit scarf around her neck. Her hair was loose and slightly wild from the wind. He hated messy hair. It looked perfect on her.

He held the door to the cafe open for her and took her coat and scarf when she stepped through the door, handing them and his own dark blue pea coat and Burberry scarf to the girl at the entrance. He was impeccably put together in a navy blue and matching tie. He took a moment to take in her outfit, hoping she hadn't worn anything embarassing to the upscale cafe. She was wearing a white button up shirt with a black peter pan collar. Suitable enough. She was also wearing a black pleated skirt and...he shook his head. And the length of it was doing terrible things to his ability to think. 

“Please, order whatever you like,” he said as he held a chair out for her. She sat, blushing at the antiquated behavior. 

“You might regret that offer,” she laughed lightly, picking up a menu. The prices made her balk. She tried to hide her reaction, doing her best to seem at ease and not like one meal at this place cost as much as half of her entire grocery bill. He raised a single pale eyebrow at her.

“I'm sure you eat as much as a baby bird,” he huffed.

“That's where you'd be wrong, mate. Didn't your mum tell you not to judge a book by it's cover? I guarantee I can out eat a heavy weight wrestler,” she replied with a laugh and a wink. He really needed her not to wink like that or else he was going to do something wholly inappropriate for such a public place. Could he take her to the bathroom? Or would he have to wait until they got to his car? The idea of making her suck him dry somewhere they might be caught made his whole body hum. The waiter came and took their order, pouring them both glasses of ice water.

Hux had a glass of wine and a grilled duck dish.

Rey ordered a Sprite and a bowl of soup. And the Chilean sea bass. And the dim sum platter. And she was also eying the lemon cake, she told him. 

“So, do you work here in the garment district?,” she asked once their waiter had gone to place their order.

“Yes, for some years now,” he answered, not particularly willing to expound.

“That's great, I'd love to work here someday!,” she exclaimed. He barely concealed a dour look. _Please don't ask me for a recommendation. In fact, leave work out of this conversation altogether and go back to being a pretty thing across the table in a too-short skirt._

“Academia isn't where you see yourself, then?,” he inquired, attempting to sound civil. If she noticed his mood sour, she didn't let on, shaking her head.

“I love my job but I'd really rather do something more in line with my degree.” 

The waiter set their drinks down on the table and Rey thanked him with a smile, Hux only nodding.

“What was the focus of your degree?,” he asked before he could stop himself.

“Textile design!,” she grinned. He'd supposed it must have been something like that if she wanted to work in the garment district.

“It actually used to be mechanical engineering,” she continued. Now that he hadn't expected. His eyebrows lifted slightly in surprise, prompting her to continue.

“Honestly, if you'd told me when I started uni that I'd end up being a fashion design major, I'd have laughed my arse off!”

“You didn't always want to study fashion, then?,” he asked, his curiosity genuinely piqued now.

“Not at all. I'd never even considered it,” she told him truthfully.

“What changed your mind?”

She fell silent for a moment, a far-off look graced her delicate features as she gazed at the dark wood of the table, seeming to search for the words.

“Growing up, I was always good with my hands. I had a knack for finding out what made things tick and this insatiable curiosity for knowing how things were made,” she revealed, her elbows coming up to rest on the table. The slight faux pas didn't bother him as much as it normally would as he found himself engrossed in her face. The sharp line of her jaw. The bit of pink gloss on her lips. Each and every freckle scattered across the bridge of her nose. Her face came to life when she spoke and he was helplessly drawn in.

“I got to be really good at fixing things, cars especially. I used to work at a mechanic's, actually.” Hux couldn't imagine this slip of a girl under the hood of a car, face and hands dirty with grease.

“As soon as college presented itself as an opportunity, I knew I'd study mechanical engineering. It was what I was good at. It was what everyone expected of me. Then the second semester of my freshman year, I took a design course and just fell in love with textiles. How this fabric was made or what that fabric was useful for. I...,” she trailed off, thinking for a moment before continuing, “It took me a while to realize I could do what I wanted to do. I didn't have to study what was expected of me. Once I realized that, it became incredibly freeing to do this thing no one had counted on me being good at. It was something that was wholly mine, not something thrust on me by circumstance.” Rey looked up at him through dark lashes, hoping that what she'd said hadn't sounded ridiculous. The look on his face surprised her. He was staring at her intensely, expression full of understanding.

“I know a little something about shirking expectations,” he acknowledged quietly, picking up his glass of wine to take a deep drink. 

Rey watched his fingers grasp the stem of the glass. This was her first time seeing them without the gloves. His hands were impossibly pale and his fingers were slender and graceful for a man. She wondered what they would feel like against her skin. They looked soft. His adam's apple bobbed as he drank his wine, his head tilted back to give her a view of the white column of his neck and the sharp line of his jaw. What would it be like to press her lips there? When his eyes met hers, she bit her lip and suddenly found the table fascinating. 

Their food was brought out then and Rey's face took on an expression of near worship at the sight of the steaming dishes. Hux had to hold back a chuckle. She nearly tore into her food, pausing only to ask him what he did in his free time.

“What free time?,” he answered wryly, rather than what he was really thinking: “I'd like to be doing _you_ in my free time.”

Hux asked her about skateboarding. She showed him a scar on her wrist from where she'd broken it trying to do some elaborate trick. She'd tried the trick again once it healed and had actually pulled it off. According to her, “It was _sick_.”

Rey asked about what movies he liked. He surprised her by revealing he had a deep love of horror films, especially classic ones.

She told him she liked anime. He had only a tangential understanding of what that was. That didn't surprise her at all.

She'd always wanted a pet but her apartment didn't allow it. She was delighted when he told her he had a cat.

Her favorite artist was Picasso. She had a preference for bold and liberal use of color. His favorite art movement was Romanticism; his favorite painting, Wanderer above the Sea of Fog.

He listened to NPR and classical music. She rolled her eyes. “Of course.”

He smirked at her excited expression when he told her he also had every David Bowie record on vinyl- her favorite singer, too, she squealed.

His favorite food was sushi. Her favorite food was whatever was available. _But_ , she added, she had a special place in her heart for anything spicy. Apparently, she could _inhale_ a bag of Takis. Hux didn't know what those were either.

She wanted to travel the world. He already had. He told her about all the places he'd been. He hated Paris. He loved Salzburg.

They gushed for a solid 10 minutes about Vivienne Westwood and the virtues of plaid.

He ordered them that lemon cake.

When the check came, he realized he had been smiling and all the tension in his shoulders was gone. Somehow he couldn't help but feel he had forgotten something.

He helped her into her coat as they left the restaurant. He was already dreading returning to work but found himself much more relaxed than he had been when he'd left.

“If you're free this Friday, I'd like you to join me for dinner at my home,” he told her, throat tightening as he watched her loop her ridiculous yellow scarf around her neck. It didn't make sense to be nervous. He was paying her. Of course she would come. But when she smiled up at him and nodded, he felt awash with relief all the same.

“I'd like that, Armitage,” she murmured. He was standing close enough to hear. Suddenly, she stood on her tip toes and pressed a kiss to his lips. It lasted only a moment and when she pulled away, he had to stop himself from following. His pale cheeks flushed.

“Call me Hux,” he said in a way he hoped wasn't a sigh. It was. At her curious expression, he elaborated. “Everyone does.”

She nodded, eyes crinkling in the way they did when she smiled. He called her a cab and paid the driver. His eyes lingered on her long legs as she slid into the backseat. She smiled and waved as the cab pulled away. When she was out of sight, he let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and pulled slightly at the collar of his shirt. If he wasn't careful, this girl- this small slip of a thing, over a decade his junior- would be his demise. What was worse, he wasn't sure he would mind.

It was only when he was sitting in his car that he remembered why he'd asked her to lunch in the first place. _You idiot_ , he chided himself. He was supposed to get her to suck him off, not talk about fabric and their taste in music. And he'd invited her to his home! He groaned and folded over the steering wheel. It wasn't his fault. She was so damn engaging. He _had_ hoped for someone to talk to. He just didn't expect to enjoy it that much. And she had that damn addictive smile. He felt something when she smiled. He hated it.

-

The rest of the day, Rey's mind was racing and it had surprisingly little to do with the fact that she'd made an entire month's salary in the span of less than a week. She'd kissed him. His lips had been softer than any man's had a right to be. 

She scrubbed her hands over her face. What was _that_? Dangerous, is what it was, she told herself. She could _not_ catch feelings for her sugar daddy. She was only setting herself up for heartbreak and disappointment.

The day after tomorrow, she'd be having dinner at his place. They were definitely going to _do it_ , right? That's what he was paying her for. Well, technically, he was paying her for her “time and company” and of course she could refuse the sex and break things off but she really didn't want to. One thing was sure, waiting until Friday was going to be torture. She would just have to concentrate on grading papers until then. She still had a job to do, after all. 

Heaving a sigh, she grabbed a stack of papers from her bag and dropped them on the scratched up coffee table in front of the couch. 

-

Friday night, Rey felt like her whole body was humming in anticipation.

“Third date, huh?,” Finn called from the kitchen. “You know what that means, right?” She could hear the amusement rolling off his tongue. Down the hall, Rey swallowed as she toweled off her hair. She knew he was just joking but she really was going to have sex tonight. Probably. Because that's what her boyfriend was paying her for.

Oh, God, she just thought of him as her boyfriend...he kind of was but at the same time, he very much was not.

“Yeah, yeah...,” she replied weakly as she strode out of the bathroom in her pink terrycloth bathrobe. She closed the door of her room behind her and let the robe fall to the floor, grabbing a plain nude strapless bra from her dresser drawer and pulling it up around her chest, bending to let her breasts fall into the cups just right. It wasn't the sexiest underwear but it was all she could wear with the dress she'd bought.  
The one she bought especially for tonight. Why had she bought a special dress for tonight, again? She resisted the urge to slam her forehead against the nearest wall. 

He was hot. That's all it was. It was biological. Physical. She didn't want to look _nice_ for him, she just wanted to look _hot_. Yeah. There we go. 

Alright, maybe she was a little more excited than she should have been but she had really enjoyed their lunch together and they'd barely texted at all after that; just minimally to arrange the date.

Underwear in place, she went to her closet and pulled the dress off the hangar. It was a frilly blush pink chiffon number that came to just above her knees. The top of it hung off her shoulders and was accented by a black ribbon that ran all long the neckline, crossing over her chest to tie in a bow in the back. It might not be terribly expensive to most people but it was new and Rey had bought it full price and that in and of itself was enough to feel like a big splurge to her.

When Finn asked if it was new she said no a little too quickly and then added pathetically, “I just haven't had a reason to wear it!”

He looked at her suspiciously but said nothing else on the matter and she quickly became busy with getting ready. About an hour later, she'd finally managed to finish her hair and makeup. Even if she had spent an embarrassing amount of time trying to get the wings of her eyeliner even, she had to admit, she was pleasantly surprised at how good she looked. Finn caught her doing finger-guns at her own reflection and she couldn't even feel shame over it because, hey, she looked _bangin'_. She graced him with an overly toothy shit-eating kind of smile and waggled her brows. He shook his head and held his hands up; he was not about to begrudge her this.

Her hair was in a french twist with a single jeweled pin, the shorter layers falling around her face to frame it. She only had one pair of kitten heels she wore to work functions and interviews but luckily, they went with the dress pretty well. Sauntering into the living room, she cleared her throat loudly to announce her presence and did a small twirl to show her roommate the final product.

Finn whistled and shouted, “Damn! She cleans up good! Who knew?”

She punched his shoulder in a way she thought was playful and laughed heartily. Though he laughed with her, he also winced and rubbed at his arm because homegirl did _not_ know her own strength.

“I gotta head to work, I've got that long commute now. You sure you're gonna be alright going to this guy's house?”

“I'll be fine, don't worry.”

Truth be told, he would always worry but he knew Rey could take care of herself. His sore shoulder was evidence of that. He gave his friend a tender side hug and grabbed his coat from the rack near the door, stuffing his keys and phone in his pocket. He opened the door and called over his shoulder, “Send me a text if you end up spending the night! Make good choices!,” and with that he was gone.

She lifted her hands high above her head, stretching and letting out a deep breath as she willed herself to be cool while waiting for the Uber Hux had sent for her. Would she be spending the night? Should she pack a toothbrush and something to sleep in? That seemed way too presumptuous. She really didn't know how any of this was supposed to play out. She just knew this Hux guy was going to be her bread and butter and she was not going to complain about it. There was something so familiar about his name, though. She thought about googling him but that felt too weird. He worked in the garment district so it wasn't like it was far-fetched for her to have heard his name somewhere. Maybe someone at the university had mentioned him before.

Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone buzzed from where it sat on the coffee table. Her Uber was here. She snatched up her phone and threw on her coat, dashing for the door. So much for being cool.


	4. Physical, Logical

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The smut has arrived. What a slow burn that was.
> 
> 04/06/18: made a small change in the story

Rey had expected someone like Hux to live in an imposing building in the heart of the city, some pent house fitted with floor to ceiling windows, sleek chrome fixtures, Swedish furniture. So when the driver pulled up to a respectable looking brownstone, she had to wonder if she'd been brought to the right place. She climbed the steps and rang the doorbell. A moment later, Hux answered the door. Right place, then. The first thing she noticed was that he somehow managed to look professional even at home. He was wearing a black sweater- cashmere, she thought- and perfectly pressed cream colored pants. Stepping inside, Rey looked around and things suddenly made a lot more sense. The architecture of the home may have been remarkably traditional but the decor was...dark. The walls were actually painted _black_.

“Please come in,” he said, taking her coat from her, “I trust the ride was al...alright-” he faltered upon seeing the delicate dress she'd worn underneath her sensible coat. There was something incredibly sinful about the way that ribbon tied around her neck and the sight of it had him imagining her tied up in all sorts of other ways.

“Yes, thank you,” she chimed, pulling him from his thoughts. “Your home is lovely.”

It really was. The high ceilings made Rey feel impossibly small. There was a modern take on a chandelier in the living room. A goddamn chandelier. 

“I've ordered us dinner, it should arrive shortly. Can I offer you a glass of wine?,”  
he said leading them into the kitchen.

Rey shook her head and held up a hand. “Thanks, but I'm not really a wine person.”

Hux paused, his face going blank. What else could he offer her? He had whiskey. Bourbon. A fine scotch he'd purchased last year in Edinburgh. Coffee. Tea. None of those really seemed appropriate for dinner. Rey apparently sensed his dilemma and quickly assured him, “Ice water would be great, though.”

He nodded and gestured for her to sit at the counter while he went about preparing their drinks. The kitchen seemed a lot brighter and airier than the rest of the house, she noted. There were big beautiful windows over the counter and classic white subway tiles on the backsplash. The cabinets were still painted black, though, because what other color would they be? She shook her head with a hint of a smile.

He turned to her and handed her the glass of water before leading them into the dinning room. This room was much darker in it's design but to Rey's delight, there was a fireplace with a pleasantly crackling fire going. Hux held out a chair for her and she sat, trying her best not to be awkward about it and only succeeding slightly. Seeing her there in his house didn't make Hux itch the way he thought it might. She looked like she fit right in amongst his belongings. It turned out, that unnerved him even more. Clearing his throat, he fetched a paper from the mantle and laid it in front of her as he took the chair next to her.

“I don't mean to be indelicate but you know this...,” he paused, before settling on the word, “relationship is contingent upon-”

“Yes, I know. The documents you asked for,” she cut him off. Over the few texts they'd sent back and forth, they'd discussed a few necessities. Reaching into her purse, she pulled out a set of papers which declared her STI-free and noted that she had been prescribed birth control. Luckily, she'd had a test less a few weeks prior, after her last partner. He took the papers from her and looked them over before handing them back and nodding.

“Right. If we're going to have sex, I need to know what you're comfortable with,” he stated with an air of formality. Rey bit the inside of her cheek, holding back an excited smile.“I've compiled this list of what I would like and what I find acceptable. I haven't bothered adding the things I will not engage in. I'd like you now to go through this list and mark the things you would be open to and those you would not. Your yes's, no's, and maybe's, if you will. If there is anything you see that makes you uncomfortable, simply cross it out.”

He handed her a pen and with slightly wide eyes, she took it and began her task, feeling a bit like a bug under a microscope from the way he observed her. Thankfully, he took his cigarette tin from his pocket and busied himself with lighting one. Her eyes flickered over the list. A few of the items really stood out to her. It was...comprehensive, to say the least. She'd been a bit worried the list wouldn't include some things she'd like to try but after years of mostly vanilla sex, she figured she'd be excited with anything he offered. Her worries proved to be unfounded. Almost everything on the list were things she had wanted. She'd written “maybe” next to “hot wax” and crossed out “ice”. Heat she could deal with but she loathed being cold. She crossed out “shaving”, not quite willing to trust other people with razors and her skin. Lastly, she crossed out “face slapping”. _No_ , he certainly may not. Everything else he had suggested seemed...heavenly.

Hux watched her carefully as she went through the list, studying her facial expressions for any sign of discomfort but there had been none. If anything, she looked like a child sneaking a peak at Christmas presents. She would enjoy this more than he had even hoped. He resisted the urge to shiver, his mind conjuring images of her pliant beneath him, begging for him to please her.

Rey handed him the completed papers and he took them from her, examining them carefully. “Any allergies? Medical conditions?,” he asked, surprising her.

“No, none whatsoever.”

He nodded. “Any triggers? Words I shouldn't say or actions that would cause you discomfort?”

Rey thought for a moment before shaking her head no.

“Safeword?”

She had thought about this. “I'd like to use green, yellow, red, if that's alright.”

He nodded again, opening his mouth to say something when a knock at the front door interrupted his train of thought. He stood, snuffing out his half finished cigarette on a tray in the center of the table as he went to retrieve their meal.

When he returned a short while later, it was with a set of plates laden with steaming food that had Rey quickly forgetting about the sexual nature of the papers she set aside to make way for their meal. When he sat again, it was across from her this time and she found herself a bit disappointed that he hadn't remained closer.

Hux spread a napkin in his lap and watched as Rey stopped herself from immediately digging into the meal in front of her to hastily lay out hers as well. She nearly blushed in embarrassment at her apparent lack of table manners but really who used cloth napkins in their own home? 

“I hope you like Thai cuisine. The restaurant came highly recommended from a coworker.” He didn't tell her he asked Phasma for a restaurant suggestion or that he remembered she liked spicy food. He could practically feel the heat of the spices from her dish in his nose and he hadn't even ordered their hottest version of it. Hux couldn't handle anything hotter than salsa and even that, he shied away from. His own dish was thankfully much more tame.

Rey smiled wide and bobbed her head happily, holding a hand over her full mouth while trying to show her pleasure at his choice. She looked like she really did enjoy the food. He enjoyed watching her enjoy the food. He refused to think about that too deeply. Instead, he took a long drink of his wine. It wouldn't even get him buzzed, the man could out-drink someone twice his weight, but the action soothed his nerves.

“Oh, by the way, where's your kitty cat?,” Rey asked brightly, lifting a chunk of pineapple to her mouth. Hux was only too happy to have a distraction. He didn't even turn up his nose at her infantile phrasing. 

“I've a closed veranda in the back. She enjoys spending time out there. Crickets get in every once in a while and she fancies herself a fearsome hunter, I'm afraid.”

Rey covered her mouth again, hiding a giggle and something in Hux's chest swelled at the fact that he'd made her laugh. He never felt particularly comfortable making conversation like this. A social butterfly he was not. But Rey made him feel like he was doing quite well.

“I hope she comes around before I leave, I'd love to see her. You're so lucky to have a pet,” she sighed.

“Please feel free to shower her with attention,” he said with a light snort, “She likes to pretend she doesn't get any.”

“Have you always been a cat person?”

“Actually, she's the only pet I've ever had.”

Somehow they had fallen into that same comfortable rhythm from their previous meal.

“It seems like you love her a lot,” she grinned. Hux paused with his fork in mid air, caught off guard. After a moment's pause, he murmured his agreement.

“I spend a small fortune in lint rollers, though.” His eyes roamed over the room and his clothes, no doubt frequent victims of shedding cat hair.

She laughed brightly and he preened a bit at her reaction.

-

They found themselves in the kitchen after dinner. The conversation lasted longer than the actual meal and Hux went an impressively long time before he finally felt compelled to clear their plates. It was getting late now.

He set aside the last dish before turning to face the slender brunette whose presence seemed enormous in his usually empty kitchen. He was almost startled to see her staring at him, color high on her cheeks, biting the edge of her lip. Without even noticing, he was drawn in to her side, like he'd been caught in a river current and there was no escaping. His eyes flickered to her lips and he suddenly had to lick his own. 

Her eyes followed the movement. When had he gotten so close? She suddenly felt very small, but not in a bad way, she decided. 

“We don't have to tonight,” he told her. Before he even registered the movement, his hand had come up to grasp her jaw, tilting her head back slightly. It felt large and warm against her skin, just as she'd imagined it would. 

“I want to,” she breathed and his mouth came crashing down on hers in an instant. 

“Good girl,” he groaned against her lips, sucking the bottom one between his teeth. His free hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her against him and she groaned in reply. She tasted of coconut milk and pineapple and spice and _her_. It was far more intoxicating than his glass of wine had been. Her hands slid around his neck and he palmed her ass through her dress, making her gasp against his lips. 

“I've a gift for you,” he panted slightly when their lips finally parted. She pulled back a fraction to look up at him curiously and a Cheshire grin grew across his face. 

“On the bed, first room on the right down the hall. I think you'll like it.” Nervously, she turned and he swatted at her bottom when she hesitated. 

“Don't make me wait long, Rey.” The deep tone his voice had taken on sent a thrill up her spine.

“And do leave your heels on,” he called out to her as she approached the bedroom door. 

Curiosity growing by the second, she pushed the set of double doors open to his bedroom. Her heart was pounding with nerves and excitement. The room was painted black, again. Black bed, black comforter. If it weren't for the hardwood floors and- seriously, another chandelier?- it would have been cave-like. Sitting on the edge of the bed was a black box tied with a red ribbon. Even with her limited knowledge, she recognized it immediately. Le Premier Order lingerie.

Slowly, she approached the bed and let her hands caress the glossy box and ribbon. Whatever was inside, it likely cost more than her entire outfit several times over. Pulling at the ends of the ribbon gingerly, she opened the box and her breath caught in her throat for a second when she saw what he'd given her. It was a beautifully intricate lingerie set. Nude sheer fabric with black velvet panels and details and soft luxurious lace.

Her fingers brushed over the velvet and she moaned at the sensation. She quickly began to strip off her dress and plain underwear.

A sudden realization struck her and she grasped the bra, searching for a tag. A delicate piece of silk ribbon on the inside told her it was a cup size larger and a band size smaller than what she normally wore and she groaned. No way this would fit her right. With a shaking sigh, she decided to try anyway, mentally preparing a speech to let the man waiting for her know that although the gift was really, truly, unbelievably beautiful and she couldn't appreciate it more, especially the quality of the fabric, that the fit was-

...perfect? She looked down, admiring the way the cups pushed up her breasts. It fit her like it'd been made for her. Well, then. She steeled her nerves before turning, her heels clacking softly against the hardwood. Her excitement had overrode any embarrassment but suddenly, she felt shy. She opened the doors to the bedroom to find herself face to face with the man who'd purchased the very expensive lingerie she now wore with her in mind. 

His eyes widened a fraction as his gaze wandered over her form appreciatively. He swallowed thickly. She looked fucking delectable. If he wasn't painfully hard before, he was now. “You look beautiful,” he murmured, his voice quieter than he meant it to be, almost reverent.

Her cheeks colored under the heat of his stare. “How did you know my size?” It was the best she could manage..

A prideful smirk graced his lips. “It's my job to know.” With that, he stepped forward and took her hips in both his hands, fingers spreading over the delicate lace of her panties, and pulled her body to his, his lips finding hers once more. Something about the way he'd said those words made her melt and she moaned into the kiss. 

He decided then that he could have kept kissing her all night but the tightness in his pants urged him on. When he finally broke the kiss, he stepped back from her as well and watched her from beneath golden lashes. “On the bed,” he growled. She immediately complied, excitement pounding in her veins. “All fours.” She turned to face the headboard, bent over on her hands and knees, her high heeled feet hanging halfway off the end of the bed. In the lingerie he'd designed and her heels, she made for an all too appetizing dessert laid out just for him.

Hux hummed in appreciation. “What a good girl,” he told her, standing behind her to let his hands wander over her hips. Rey moaned lightly and nodded her head. “Th-thank you,” she panted.

His nimble fingers found the front of her crotch and ran along the seam, teasing her. He slid the fabric aside to take in her glistening pink pussy. He groaned deeply when he felt how ready she was.

“You're so wet for me, Rey. You've gone and gotten your gift dirty already.” His thumb brushed her clit and she whined in her throat, needing more. 

“Do you know what happens to naughty girls who don't take care of their gifts?” He sounded wickedly gleeful. Rey shook her head. 

“No...,” she whimpered.

“They get punished,” he answered, grabbing her ass roughly to accentuate his words. “How many spankings does my naughty girl deserve for messing her panties?”

“Five?,” she tried, unsure of herself, turning to look at him over her shoulder at the imposing man behind her.

“Very good. Count for me, darling,” he murmured darkly before bringing a hand swiftly down on the bottom curve of one of the cheeks peaking from under her panties. She let out a long groan in response, her skin tingling deliciously.

“O-one,” she managed to pant as he rubbed the reddening skin affectionately.

His hand came down on her other cheek in much the same way.

“Two,” she said with more confidence, the thrill of the sting making her pussy ache with need.

He brought his hand down higher on her cheek this time, the lace of her panties brushing roughly against her skin, making her cry out. 

“Three!”

He rubbed the sore cheek, bending over to kiss her shoulder and murmur to her, “You're taking your punishment so well, darling. Can you keep going?”

Rey nodded enthusiastically, making him chuckle. She was so fucking _eager_.

“You look so pretty in your gift but I do love seeing this filthy bottom bounce for me,” he said as he hooked his fingers into the waist band of the lacy underwear, pulling it down to rest just under her cheeks. He grabbed her ass with both hands, lifting the pliant flesh appreciatively and releasing it to watch it jiggle. Bending down, he licked a long stripe across the pink mark left by his hand, causing her to moan deeply at the sensation and earning her another chuckle.

“Needy, aren't we?,” he asked before gently biting down on the fleshy curve of her other cheek.

“Mm-hmm,” she murmured in reply.

With a satisfied grin, he lifted his hand and told her, “Two more, darling,” before swatting her bottom hard and fast. This one stung more than the others and she threw her head back to gasp.

“What do we say?”

She swallowed, licking her lips.

“Four.”

Hux smacked her ass hard one last time and she nearly shouted. 

“F-five!”

He soothed the reddened skin with a series of kisses, licking and sucking softly where it hurt while he murmured praises against her skin.

“That was excellet, little one. I think you deserve a treat, don't you?”

“Mm, yes, please,” Rey sighed, needing him to touch her deperately.

“Sit up for me, sweet girl,” he chuckled, eying her hungrily.

When Rey turned, she found he'd divested himself of his sweater and was unbuckling his pants. She drank in every inch of his skin, unable to stop her hands from coming up to caress the milky expanse granted to her in awe. He was even more slender than she would have guessed and impossibly pale, his chest bare. He was beautiful. 

She looked up at him in wonder and her wide-eyed expression made his skin feel heated. How could this small girl in front of him make him feel so completely undone? Her eyes floated down to where his hands pushed his pants to the floor. He grasped her chin in his hand and brought her gaze up to meet his again, searching her face for any sign she wanted this to stop. Understanding what he was asking without him needing to say in, she nodded and he let his boxers join the pile of clothes at his feet. 

Hazel eyes widened slightly at the red cock bouncing in front of her face, the angry looking head slick with pre-cum. She shouldn't be surprised, really. The man was over 6 ft. Of course he was proportionate. One of his hands slid through the loose hair around her face, pulling it back so he could watch. 

“Ask for your treat nicely,” he huffed.

She stared up at him, the head of his cock hovering in front of her lips. “Can I taste? Please?,” she asked sweetly, hunger in her eyes.

He bit back a moan as he nodded. Her little pink tongue darted out from between her lips to lick at the head, eyes fluttering shut. This was something Rey truly loved and she knew she was about to enjoy what he'd offered her immensely. She took her time with the task, her hands coming up to hold his bobbing cock steady as she laid opened mouth kissed up and down the sides. “Good girl, Rey, fuck- so good,” Hux panted.

It had been a long time since Hux had his cock sucked- which in and of itself was a shame- but he wasn't sure he'd ever had it sucked the way Rey was sucking it now. She fucking _loved_ this. She looked as though he'd actually offered her something sweet to enjoy and _fuck_ was she enjoying it. That fact alone had him groaning and barely able to resist bucking his hips when she finally wrapped her warm mouth around the head of his cock and _sucked_.

Rey knew all too well the effect she was having on him. She loved to be dominated but the power she felt when she had a throbbing cock pressing into her throat was enough to get her high. There was one thing especially she thought of as a personal goal every time she did this. She wasn't satisfied until she felt her nose brush against her partner's crotch. She pulled back slightly, taking a deep breath in through her nose before plunging forward, relaxing her throat to allow for the intrusion it was about to take.

Hux nearly choked when he felt her throat close around the head of his cock. This time, he did thrust forward, unable to stop himself. Rey wrapped her arms around him, keeping him in her throat and she bobbed her head from side to side, swallowing around his dick. With a shaking breath, Hux pulled back and she released him from her mouth with a wet pop. A trail of saliva remained connected with her mouth and she licked her lips. Fuck. It nearly killed him to stop but he'd been close to cumming and he wanted this to last much longer.

“Strip,” he ground out, grasping the base of his cock with one hand and palming his aching balls with the other for a bit of relief. Rey noticed a few strands of hair had come away from his meticulously gelled down style and for some reason, seeing him even ever so slightly disheveled like that made her pussy pulse with need. She quickly pulled off her bra and let her panties fall down the rest of the way, kicking them off with her heels. He pushed her up and onto the bed in a heartbeat and sooner than she could blink, his mouth was on hers, his tongue delving in to taste himself from his lips. This was getting too much to take and her fingers wandered down to her throbbing clit. Before she could reach her destination, Hux grabbed her wrist in his large hand and pulled it up.

“Ah-ah, little one,” he admonished, “You cum when I say you can.”

Rey let out a whimper of frustration and he grinned cruelly. “I can see we'll have to make sure you can follow the rules here.”

He stood and from his bedside table he pulled a long red ribbon- the same kind as the one on the box from earlier. Sitting over her, he held her hands over her head as he bound her wrists. He tied it loose enough that she could break free if she really wanted to but tight enough to hold her. 

He sat back to appraise his work. She made for a beautiful picture, tied up in red silk, staring up at him eagerly. Slowly, he worked his way down her body, placing wet kisses along her arms and collarbone. He sucked in a deep breath when he got to her gently heaving breasts. Hux's job revolved around the female form. He'd seen more pairs of tits than he could count. Easily his favorite part of a woman, he considered himself a judge of beautiful breasts. Rey's were exactly his taste. 

“Perfect,” he murmured, lavishing each with his mouth, his hands snaking their way up her sides to cup them. They fit perfectly in his grip, as he knew they would. Rey gasped and her hips involuntarily thrust upwards. She'd always had sensitive breasts. Hux's lips curled upwards against her skin, sucking a dusky colored nipple into his mouth and flicking it swiftly with his tongue, causing Rey to cry out. 

“So responsive, little one,” he chuckled. 

“Please,” she whimpered needily.

“Please what? Tell me what you want.” His voice came out dark and gravely.

“Touch me!”

With a sly smile, Hux's fingers dipped down to the apex of her thighs, giving her sweet relief at last. Her dripping pussy welcomed him and he made quick work of her clit, flicking and rolling the small nub with expert precision. 

Rey threw her head back and gasped, hips bucking up to meet his hand. He continued his trail of kisses down her stomach, biting and sucking as he went. She'd be covered in bruises from his mouth by the end of the night. _Good_ , he thought.

A deft middle finger dipped into her cunt quickly followed by another, making her cry out. Hux's fingers with thin but long and he curled them up inside her, stroking that tender place and making her moan and writhe on the bed. He perched himself in front of her glistening pink pussy, watching her as his other hand found her clit again and continued his assault on her dripping cunt. 

“You're so beautiful, Rey,” he whispered to her with awe in his voice. Her skin felt overheated from the sincerity in his words. He bit into the fleshy part of her inner thigh and she nearly came right then, crying out his name. That earned her a growl as he fucked her in earnest with his fingers, licking and sucking at her sensitive inner thighs. Lord, her pussy felt tight around his fingers. She was so wet she was dripping onto the bedspread. He couldn't wait to feel it around his cock. He rutted against the mattress to sooth his impatient member.

“Such a good girl for me, so wet and tight. How are you ever going to take my cock, hm?,” he asked as she whimpered and panted, thrusting up against his fingers. 

“Please- please,” she said helplessly.

“What do you want, little girl? Tell me,” he panted against her stomach between kisses, cock aching against the silky bedspread beneath them

“Fuck me!,” she cried, whimpering low in her throat.

Hux's moaned low at the way she sounded, begging for him. He pulled off of her and rushed to his nightstand to pull out a condom. Ripping the package open, he rolled the thin latex down his pulsating member before situating himself between her legs. He kissed her hungrily, tugging at her lips with his teeth and she responded in turn, desperate for him to be inside her. Her legs came up around her waist and he held his cock, positioning himself at her entrance. His eyes went to hers, knowing she wanted this as much as he did but needing to see her face when he took her for the first time. 

Slowly, the head of his cock slid inside and his arms came up to brace himself so that he didn't sink into her all at once, trying to be considerate of their size difference. Rey's eyes rolled back at the feeling of being stretched and she moaned wantonly. With a long groan, he rolled his hips until he bottomed out against her, earning him a gasp. She felt so blessedly full.  
“You're so perfect, Rey,” he ground out between his teeth, “So fucking hot and tight.” He pulled his hips back and they moaned together at the friction, her eyes fluttering in bliss. The sting of being stretched melted with the pleasure of being full and she couldn't tell where one sensation ended and the other began.

Unable to hold back, he slammed into her, hips taking a brutal pace, practically shaking with desire. He'd known this girl less than a week and it felt like he'd been dreaming of fucking her for years. And here she was, moaning and writhing beneath him and loving it. He grasped her jaw in his hand, her face so small compared to it. It made him fuck her harder. 

“Look at me, Rey,” he panted. He needed those bright hazel eyes. She met his intense stare, his own green eyes blown black with lust. Bright red hair stuck slick to his forehead now and his brow was furrowed, jaw clenched as he fucked her roughly. 

Gone was his calm and composed exterior, he was rutting into her furiously like an animal. She did that to him. She made him lose control. That alone had her orgasm rapidly approaching. 

“What a good girl you are, little one. Want to fuck you every goddamn day. Need to feel this cunt around me.” His words were making her dizzy. All she could do was pant “yes” and “please” over and over as he fucked her with deep, hard thrusts of his cock. 

“I own you now, don't I, Rey? You're mine. This pussy is for me,” he panted, accentuating his last words with long, hard strokes.

“Yes! Yours, I'm yours!,” she cried, tears welling in her eyes from the intensity of it all. He licked a long stripe up her cheek and sucked at her neck, panting praises between tender kisses. The contrast between his sweet words and gentle mouth on her neck and chest and his rough, wild pace was driving her crazy and then his fingers found her clit again and she thought she'd died and gone to heaven.

“Cum for me, Rey,” he whispered to her and his command seemed to shoot straight to her overworked pussy as she did just as he told her to, her walls clenching around him. Her upper body lifted from the mattress involuntarily and for a moment, she felt like she must be floating. She called his name over and over and the combined sensations drove him over the edge. He snarled as he thrust into her, fucking her through their shared orgasms and filling the condom with his hot cum, her fluttering pussy milking him for all he was worth. When at last he stilled, he caught her lips in a passionate kiss and pushed her hair from her face. 

Gently as possible, he pulled out from her, though she still winced. He quickly discarded the condom and untied her wrists, rubbing and kissing them before pulling the blankets down and over her. He kissed her forehead and murmured sweet nothings to her, pulling her to him so he could rub circles across her shoulders soothingly. He was surprisingly sweet now, despite having just fucked her within an inch of her life. She tilted her head back to kiss him lazily. “Thank you,” she groaned, her voice coming out a little hoarse.

He laughed lightly and shook his head, “Thank you.”


	5. Give and Take

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Thar be filth.

Hux stood and pulled on his boxers before going to get Rey a glass of water and a towel to clean up. When he came back, he checked her over where he'd marked her skin. None of the bruises or welts were bad at all. They lay in bed together while he stoked circles on her back. It had been...incredible. More than he had hoped for and he didn't get to half of the things he'd had planned. With the barest of moans, she had him wanting to lay himself at her feet. 

He pictured a red flashing sign that said “DANGER” and clenched his jaw. Of course, only Hux could have the best orgasm of his life and lay there analyzing why afterwards. He stilled. Had that been the best orgasm of his _life_? It had been practically vanilla compared to what he was used to. He looked down warily and sucked in a breath when he realized she had been staring at him. Their faces were inches apart. 

They'd just _fucked_ , there was no reason for her to be blushing like that and yet her face felt like it was burning. Shit, she had been staring at him, too. She wanted to kiss him, to climb all over him and then fall asleep in his arms. Why did that seem so much more intimate now?

He was the first to clear his throat and tear his gaze away. He should tell her to spend the night. It was late and she didn't exactly live in the best area. But in all Hux's 34 years, he could count the times he'd let someone spend the night in his bed on his hands. Why did that feel like such a big deal? 

He'd just _fucked_ her like a man gone mad. This is exactly why he should have gotten a hotel room like he'd planned when they started this instead of inviting her to bloody dinner at his home. He felt her shift in his arms and he moved to let her sit up.

“I should go,” she said quietly, searching his face. He stared at her blankly before collecting himself and schooling his expression.

“Ah, yes, of course-”

“I- I don't want to intrude-”

“Right-”

“And my roommate will worry-”

“I have work in the morning, in any case-”

“I wouldn't want to put you out-”

“I'll call you a car.”

He nearly hopped off the bed to go find his phone, pulling his clothes back on. When he returned, she was nowhere to be seen and he momentarily panicked- stupidly, he admonished himself- until he heard water running from his en suite. She emerged a moment later, redressed. A valiant attempt had been made at looking more put together and less thoroughly fucked but her makeup was still askew and her hair was disheveled. She looked beautiful, damn it.

“They'll be here soon.” His voice was softer than he'd meant it to be.

She nodded and smiled shyly at him, walking over to the bed to put her shoes on. He surprised them both when he knelt beside her and took her ankle, slipping one heel onto her foot and then the other. Unable to help himself, he pressed a kiss to the inside of her knee. She noticed that his hair had been brushed back into place, not a single strand seeming as though it had ever been disturbed. She missed the way it had fallen in his face.

“I'll have them laundered,” he murmured. She raised her head, not understanding what he meant. 

“Wha-,” she started.

“The lingerie. I'll have it laundered before I give them back to you. They're yours.”

“O-oh!,” she exclaimed, having nearly forgotten about his gift. “Thank you.”

The corner of his lip turned up and she fell into the trap that was his bright green eyes. She opened her mouth to speak and he found himself holding his breath.

“Um...Hux, I-”

His phone pinged. He cursed mentally.

“Your ride is here,” he told her quietly. Together, they stood and made their way to the door.

He helped her into her coat and held the door open for her. 

“Goodnight,” she smiled, her cheeks still rosy. She started out the door but his hand came up to grasp her gently by the elbow. 

“Rey,” he rumbled, voice deep and full of something she couldn’t place.

“Yes?,” she answered, lips slightly parted. 

_Don’t go._

“I- that is,” he huffed before straightening. “Are you available tomorrow?”

She stared back at him curiously. “Yes but...your work?”

“I still need to have lunch,” he told her, his face impassive. He didn't say, _“Rey, would you please have lunch with me tomorrow?,”_ but it was what he meant and she smiled, understanding.

“I'm free all day.”

He nodded, satisfied, and released her arm. Instead of moving away, she stood on her toes and pressed her lips to his. His eyes shut and he kissed her back gently. He stood transfixed as she walked down the steps and got into the car. Tomorrow, in the light of day, he'd be more himself, he thought, closing the door. 

-

Sunlight streamed in on Rey’s sleeping face and she groaned, rolling over to hide in her pillows. She’d passed out as soon as she got home and now she felt sore and...sticky. Her face twisted into a grimace. The bed sheets were stuck to her skin. She knew she couldn’t stay in bed any longer and sat up, stretching and rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She swung one leg over the side of the bed and stumbled over to the window to pull the curtains closed. There was a dull throb of pain between her legs. _Worth it_ , she thought. She grabbed her robe from the floor and made herself decent before teetering into the hallway. 

“Finn?,” she called. There was no answer. He must still be asleep. She went into the kitchen to get a much needed glass of water when the front door rattled, startling her. Finn stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind him, staring at her from the doorway.

“Hey...,” he offered lamely. Her eyes went to the clock on the microwave. It was past 10 a.m.

“Are you just coming home?,” she balked. She took in his rumpled appearance, giving him a questioning look. He coughed and mumbled something she didn’t catch, darting to his room.

“We’ll talk later!,” he called over his shoulder.

Shaking her head, she took her ice water to her room and grabbed her phone and some clothes. She needed a shower and bad.

-

Hux strode into his office feeling oddly light and refreshed after the best sleep he’d had in months. He was right on time. People stared. Right on time for most people was leisurely late for Armitage Hux. As he made his way down the hall, a tall figure appeared beside him. 

“Hux. You look...well rested this morning,” Phasma mused, not unkindly.

Before he could help himself, he gave her a warm smile. She stilled, her eyebrows shooting up. His face fell. He coughed and looked away. They pretended it didn’t happen.

“Something you needed, Phasma?,” he asked.

“Yes, actually. Snoke wants us to take on a new hire. With the upcoming floor show, we’ve got our hands full and if we’re going to compete with Atelier Organa this season, we can’t waste time. I was hoping you could sit in on interviews with me.”

So much for his good mood.

“And why do _I_ need to be part of the interview process?,” he questioned disdainfully. A new hire meant someone new to train and he did not want any part of that. He’d nearly pulled out all his hair when he had to train Mitaka and the boy could still hardly keep up.

“It seems this new hire would be working with you personally.”

Hux stared at her with a thin lipped expression. To the rest of the world, he might have appeared calm but inside he was fuming.

“Absolutely not. I don’t take on apprentices.” 

“They wouldn’t be an apprentice. Just someone to help you meet your deadlines-”

“I have Mitaka.”

“Who is a capable administrative assistant but knows nothing about fashion,” she snapped back at him, unwilling to let his attitude deter her from her job.

“So this is about my work.” His jaw clenched.

“Hux,” she sighed wearily, “your work is excellent. You’re at the top of your field.”

“Then why is Snoke saddling me with dead weight?,” he nearly hissed.

Her eyes hardened. “You know as well as I that you’ve been struggling, Hux. It might help to have someone fresh around to-”

“Fine,” he ground out, cutting her off. “Fine. But do the blasted interviews without me. I don’t have time for this. Just get me someone who knows what they’re doing, damn it.”  
He turned on his heel and marched to his office, closing the door behind him with a loud snap and dropping into his chair. Heaving a sigh, he took the phone from his pocket at pulled up Rey’s contact info, wondering how soon he could text her.

The rest of the morning dragged on at an excruciating pace. He had managed to get some work done but by 11, he had grabbed his coat and was dashing from the office, telling Mitaka he’d be working from home the rest of the day. It was only a partial lie. He did intend on getting some work done at home. Much later. First, he’d be heading to Brooklyn. 

-

Rey was just starting to wonder if she should text Hux when her phone buzzed.

**In Brooklyn for work. I can pick you up for lunch.**

She scrambled to her closet, telling herself not to panic as she tapped out her response.

**Sure, how soon?**

His reply came a moment later.

**30 minutes.**

Okay, now she could panic. She’d styled her hair, knowing she’d be meeting him for lunch sometime that day but she was far from ready. She should have said she’d meet him later so she could take her time getting dressed. Rey did not always make the best decisions. 

Flipping through her clothes frantically, she cursed the fact that she hadn’t done laundry all week. She’d be lucky to find something clean, forget sexy or cute. Taking in a deep breath, she reached into the closet and pulled out the first thing she saw. At times like these, she found it better to just go by a system. First thing in the closet? That was what she was wearing. This time, it turned out to be a black Nirvana t-shirt and ripped jeans. She grabbed an oversized plaid hoodie. He was picking her up so they’d probably eat somewhere close by, right? Nothing too fancy. Then again, this was the guy who used cloth napkins _at home_. She was sure he could find a 5 star restaurant even in her neighborhood.

She groaned and shook her head. No time to worry about that, he’d be here soon and she still had a lot to do. She tugged on her clothes and spent far too long looking for a clean pair of socks- why did none of her socks match- before running to the bathroom to put on her makeup. Clipping her hair from her face, she quickly set about tapping on eye shadow, swiping on eyeliner, and generally doing her best to look like she hadn’t slapped on her makeup. She had just finished applying a coat of mascara when her phone buzzed.

**Can I come up?**

Her heart did a somersault. Was he here? She glanced at the time. It had been exactly 30 minutes.

**Sure, I’m number 318, I’ll buzz you in**

She looked over her makeup, checking to see if anything was out of place before a buzz rang out, letting her know he was there, and she hurried to the living room intercom to let him in. If he wanted to come up, did that mean he wanted to have sex? God, she hoped so. Maybe she should take off her jacket and try to look a little sexier. She went to run a hand through her hair and realized her hair was still pulled back from when she did her makeup.

She slid on socked feet to the bathroom to take out the pink daisy shaped clip she’d used to keep it from her face. Great, now her hair was sticking up weird. She ran her fingers through it, begging it silently to sit right and then there was a knock at the door and she jumped about half a foot in the air.

Fuck. She took off down the hall and halfway to the door, stopped to steady herself, hoping to seem less affected than she really was. She swung the door open and smiled up at the imposing man behind it. He looked decidedly out of place in his clean cut suit, a sharp contrast to his current surroundings. She didn’t have long to think about the amusing juxtaposition, though.

It took less than a second for Hux to step in and close the door behind him and then her face was in his hands and his lips were moving against hers.

She moaned into the kiss, meeting him with equal enthusiasm, her hands coming under his jacket to press against his firm chest, whole body bending back under his taller frame.

“H-hi,” she sighed against his lips.

“Hello,” he crooned back.

“Good afternoon!,” came a third voice.

Both of their eyes shot open wide. Rey’s head spun to look behind her, still caught in Hux’s embrace. Finn was standing behind them, leaning against the kitchen counter in nothing but a pair of basket ball shorts, pouring himself a glass of orange juice. Oh. Right.

“Um, Hux, this is my roommate and best friend, Finn,” Rey said, taking a step back. “Finn, this is...this is my boyfriend.”

“I can see that. How’s it goin, man,” Finn laughed, raising his glass in greeting.

Hux’s stare was icy. He’d barely heard the exchange over the sound of blood rushing in his ears but there was a half naked man in Rey’s home. By the looks of him, he was Rey’s age. _Younger than you. More appropriate for her_ , a voice sneered in his head. 

And he had abs and bulging biceps. Hux straightened to his full height.

“We were just leaving,” he announced, his voice even and commanding but every bit as cold as his expression. He took Rey’s hand in his own, pulling her to the door. He needed to get out of there; to have Rey to himself and not be in that room with that man and his blasted abs.

“I’ll see you later!,” Rey called behind her before the door shut. She turned to Hux and smiled.

“So where we headed? I’m starving!”

Her question brought him out of his thoughts. Truthfully, he’d planned on bending her over and fucking her into her mattress but that was no longer an option. She said she was hungry, and he _had_ invited her to lunch. 

“What do you recommend? You know the area better than I do.” 

Rey studied him. He seemed stiff but honestly, that could mean anything. The man was a mystery. Sometimes, he was so passionate and even if he didn’t say it out loud, she felt like she knew what he was thinking. Other times, his face seemed like it was immovable, carved out of marble. Then every once in awhile, for no apparent reason, he’d get this look on his face like someone had spit in his cup of tea. She still hadn’t figured that one out.

“Do you like Puerto Rican food?”

There was that look again. She laughed and shook her head. 

His throat tightened and he pulled on her hand to lead her down the stairs. Just as he was about to scold himself for holding her hand in the first place like some lovesick boy, he realized she wasn’t moving. He looked at her inquisitively.

“Um...I should probably put on shoes before we go,” she giggled.

He looked down to see she was still in her stocking feet. The tips of his ears reddened and to his credit, he managed not to groan audibly.

-

She convinced him to “broaden his horizons”, as she put it and they found themselves sitting in a cozy Puerto Rican eatery a short drive from her apartment. She’d marveled at his car and although he didn’t understand her fascination, was pleased that she seemed to be enjoying herself.

“These prices can’t be right,” he insisted. $7.50 for an entire entrée? His skeptical gaze moved between her and the menu. He’d let Rey order for him since he didn’t know what anything was. He hated relinquishing control but she seemed excited to be showing him something new so he begrudgingly accepted her decision.

When their food was set down on the counter where they were seated, he realized he’d have to eat with his hands and he leveled her with a look.

“What?,” she asked, lifting something wrapped in foil and dripping with grease and cheese to her mouth.

He removed his gloves tersely instead of answering her and did his best to keep the mess she’d ordered him from falling on his suit. She watched him eat. His face remained blank as he ate. It was good but damned if he’d show it. She noticed he cleaned his plate anyway.

After their meal, she ordered them some kind of sweet banana dish and he’d been less guarded in showing his appreciation of that. Hux had a secret sweet tooth, it seemed.

“So where to now?,” she beamed once they’d left the little corner restaurant. His eyes wandered over her form. He fully intended to find them a hotel so he could rail her into next week but taking in her appearance, he suddenly felt filled with another kind of need.

He took out his phone and searched for the nearest Barneys.

-

“Hux, this is too much. Really, I don’t need new clothes.”

He handed a blue floral dress to the attendant to take to a dressing room for her before giving her outfit a pointed look.

“You look homeless,” he told her plainly.

“Excuse me?!,” she bleated.

“You’re excused,” he said without missing a beat, his features twisted with distaste.

She held up a Nirvana hoodie from a nearby rack. “They’re selling practically the same thing I’m wearing here for $300!”

He ignored her, gesturing to a pink pleated skirt. 

“And that one as well,” he told the girl assisting them. He’d decided he liked her in pastels after seeing her in the dress she’d worn last night. He held up an expensive Comme Des Garcons coat with a vintage anime print. 

“You like this sort of thing right? I’ll buy this for you if you cease your complaining,” he countered, exasperated.

Rey was livid. She contemplated telling him to shove his money where the sun didn’t shine but...that coat was a masterpiece and much like the lingerie from last night, something she would covet from afar but never be able to afford. She snatched it from him and followed the girl to the dressing room. 

“I want some of that fancy ass baklava from that place outside, too,” she grumbled.

He resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of his nose. Never in a million years would he have expected buying a woman clothes to be like pulling teeth. She’d loved the lingerie last night. Why was this any different? Other than the price difference of a few thousand dollars, he really didn’t see what the big deal was. He followed behind her to the dressing room and perched himself on a sofa while she went inside to change. “I want to see everything,” he called after her.

Rey grumbled under her breath as she slid the first dress over her head and tugged it down. She had to admit, it was beautiful. And it would be perfect for going to job interviews. She opened the door to show him and he nodded his approval. Looks like they’d be taking that one, then.

At least a dozen items later, she held up the last thing he’d picked out for her. It was a rose gold metallic evening gown with a corseted bodice and a long slit on the side. Because, you know, that’s really what her wardrobe was lacking. She poked her head out the door and held up the luxurious feeling garment. 

“Where exactly am I supposed to wear this?”

Hux looked up from his phone with eyes like knives. He could glare all he wanted for all she cared.

She was so compliant in bed last night. Did she really have to test him today? Here he was being generous and she was doing her best to get on his last nerve. She’d rolled her eyes at him- actually _rolled her eyes _like some petulant school girl.__

__“I don’t recall asking for your sass. Put on the dress, Rey,” he sighed wearily._ _

__“Yes, daddy,” she replied sarcastically. It was meant to annoy him. It did not have that effect at all. In fact, suddenly he was feeling a lot more forgiving. And his pants were feeling a lot more constrictive._ _

__He returned to looking up nearby hotels on his phone._ _

__“How am I supposed to put this thing on?,” she called from behind the door. Hux took a deep breath. His pale green eyes wandered over the room. The girl who had been helping them had left some time ago at his insistence that she not hover about like an insect. Standing, he slid his phone in his jacket pocket and crossed the few feet to her dressing room door, opening it without bothering to knock._ _

__“H-hey,” she objected softly, turning halfway to face him, holding the dress up with her arms so that it covered her chest._ _

__“You said you needed help,” he explained, turning her back around so he could do up the dress for her._ _

__“Oh,” she murmured in reply while he went about tightening the corset. His fingers ghosted over her shoulder blades and she let out a soft noise somewhere between a sigh and a moan. He looked up to see how the dress fit her in the mirror. It clung to her curves, draping beautifully across her chest and floating over her long legs. She looked like a Grecian statue. _Venus,_ he mused._ _

__He pushed her soft hair over one shoulder and whispered against her neck, “You look beautiful.”_ _

__She flushed._ _

__“T-thank you. But really...it’s too much. I’ll never have a chance to wear it.”_ _

__He frowned deeply and turned her around, grasping the back of her head to bring her into a bruising kiss._ _

__“Why do you insist on fighting me on this? You’ve been such a brat today. Are you trying to irritate me?”_ _

__Rey swallowed, looking up at him like a deer in headlights._ _

__“N-no.”_ _

He turned her around to face the mirror, hands grabbing roughly at her body. She groaned at how easily he maneuvered her.

"You've been naughty from the moment we walked into this store," he practically spat.

__His hand came around to slip under the slit of the dress and she gasped when his fingers found her panties and shoved them aside to toy with her clit._ _

__“Let me do this for you, Rey,” he panted against her neck, his hard member rubbing into her ass. She wasn’t sure if he was talking about shopping anymore and it didn’t matter because all she could do was moan and nod her head anyway. He lavished her neck with kisses and murmured in her ear._ _

__“Sshh, pet, you’ve got to be quiet for me, okay?”_ _

__She brought a hand up to her mouth to muffle her wanton moans when his fingers slid between her lips to feel her wetness._ _

__“You’re so wet for me, darling. Can you promise to be a good girl for me?”_ _

__Rey nodded frantically._ _

__“Stay,” he commanded her, giving her a single kiss on her shoulder before he treaded softly over to one of the benches set against the wall in the spacious dressing room. He pulled it behind her and sat, sliding his hands up her thighs to pull her panties down._ _

__“I want you to watch yourself, Rey,” he whispered to her, pulling her into his lap. He pushed the satiny fabric of the dress over her legs to expose her soaking cunt, parting her thighs roughly with his large, warm hands. The corset of the dress made her sit up straight between his legs and the pressure it created on her lower belly was doing something sinfully delicious to her aching core. Her eyes flickered up to the large mirror in front of them and were immediately met with the reflection of his own piercing gaze. He circled his other arm around her waist and the sight of him dwarfing her smaller frame excited her to no end._ _

__“You see how good you look in this dress, little one?,” he ground out, rubbing her clit frantically. She bucked up to meet his hand and whimpered, nodding. This was without a doubt the most erotic thing she’d ever seen and that blissful pressure the corset provided had her writhing against his straining dick._ _

__Her eyes wandered from his nimble fingers up to his face. His expression was almost calm but the hunger in his eyes was unmistakable. Without warning, he pushed two fingers inside her and her hand flew to her mouth again to keep from shouting out in pleasure. He spread his fingers and curled them, each new position making her rock up into his hand. Her eyes clenched shut._ _

__“P-please, Hux,” she whispered breathily, “wanna cum, wanna cum so bad for you.”_ _

__Hux ground his throbbing cock against her backside and he had to stop himself from throwing her to the floor and shoving himself inside her._ _

__“Did I say you could close your eyes, pet?”_ _

__Whimpering in frustration, she bucked against his fingers and opened her eyes a fraction to watch as he fucked her with them in the mirror. Her pussy clenched and made a lewd, wet sound._ _

__“Your needy cunt’s going to get us caught, little girl,” he chuckled darkly in her ear._ _

__She groaned in response._ _

__“Do you like that? Does the thought of someone seeing you cum for me excite you? What a filthy girl you are,” he laughed low in his throat, grinding roughly against her pert bottom, the pre-cum dribbling from his cockhead threatening to create a wet spot on the front of his pants._ _

__“Yes- yes- I’m your dirty girl,” Rey panted, doing her best to be quiet, eyes fixed on the pale fingers pumping her relentlessly._ _

__“Cum for me, naughty thing,” he whispered, his other hand reaching down to roll her plump clit. With his words ringing in her ear, she came hard, thighs clenching together as she bucked up, biting down on her hand to keep from crying out._ _

__“God, Rey, look at how you’ve gushed for me,” he muttered in her ear, eyes drinking in her debauched appearance in the mirror. Her hair clung to her forehead and her chest heaved, cleavage pushed up by the corset. He used his whole hand to stroke her soaked pussy and she shivered at the heightened sensation._ _

__Bringing his hand to her mouth, he smiled softly, telling her, “Be a good girl now, and clean up the mess you’ve made.”_ _

__She complied without hesitation, taking his larger hand in both of hers and licking over the drenched palm and each and every finger._ _

___Fuck_ , she was going to give him a heart attack._ _

__“On your knees, Rey,” he bit out when she’d finished, “You’re not done yet.”_ _

__She slunk down to the floor, turning to perch between his legs. His hands went to the zipper of his pants and in short order, he’d released his aching cock, rubbing it against her parted lips._ _

__“There we are,” he purred as she took the head of it into her mouth, “such a good girl for me.”_ _

__His hand gripped the base and began to pump fast, her saliva dripping down to coat his stiff length. After grinding against her for so long, it took hardly any time at all for his orgasm to barrel through him like a freight train and he pulled her down onto him roughly by the back of her head, knowing she’d take it without issue. He pumped her mouth with thick ropes of hot cum and she hummed around him in pleasure._ _

__“Don’t swallow,” he instructed her, and she slowly pulled her mouth off of him, his hot acrid seed painting her tongue._ _

__“Show me,” he panted. Obediently, she opened her mouth and rolled her tongue around, showing him his own spend. His jaw clenched._ _

__“You’re not to swallow until I say so, is that understood, pet?”_ _

__Her eyebrows shot up. She looked like she wanted to say something but with a full mouth, all she could do was raise and lower her hand tentatively and look up at him. How long exactly did he intend to make her hold this stuff in her mouth?_ _

__One corner of his lips turned up in a smirk. “I trust next time, you won’t be so contrary, will you, little one?”_ _

__Her eyebrows knit together and she made a noise of frustration but didn’t attempt to disobey his order. He wanted to play this game? She’d show him she could play, alright._ _

__“Get dressed,” he told her, righting himself as he stood and swaggered out of the room._ _

__When she emerged from the dressing room, face red and hair still slightly mussed, he grasped her jaw between his thumb and forefinger, making her open to show him she’d followed orders._ _

__“Good girl,” he praised her, upon seeing the mixture of cum and split still there._ _

__He called a sales girl and told her which items they’d be taking before walking confidently to the register. Rey followed behind shyly, suddenly hyper aware of the presence of other people in the store. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire and she was sure she looked every bit as flustered as she felt. How long was he going to make this go on?!_ _

__As they stood at the register, the girl asked Rey if she’d found everything alright. Her eyes shot to Hux. The girl smiled at Rey, waiting for an answer. Hux grinned at her like the cat who’d caught the canary and mouthed, “ _Swallow._ ”_ _

__His eyes sparkled with sick delight, following the movement of her throat as she gulped._ _

__“Yes, thank you,” she croaked, not willing to make eye contact with the poor, clueless girl behind the counter._ _

__Hux’s phone rang and he glanced at the caller id before handing Rey his credit card._ _

__“Go ahead and pay, I’ve got to take this,” he said, stepping away, a hint of a smile still playing on the corners of his lips._ _

__When the sales girl told Rey the total, she nearly fainted, handing her the credit card with a shaking hand._ _

__“Your boyfriend is very generous! You’re a lucky girl,” she said, leaning over the counter and winking conspiratorially._ _

___You have no idea..._ , Rey thought, rubbing her lips, reflecting on the interesting week she’d had._ _

__Christ. It had only been a week._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A word of advice: while I do not in anyway mean to endorse sex in public places, I will say, should you decided to take a cue from our two lovers here, maybe choose someplace like a poorly looked after Sears and not the Brooklyn Barneys. I used to work in a boutique where we had to allow couples into the dressing rooms together if they asked and lemme tell ya, people like Rey and Hux ain't as slick as they think.


	6. Head Over Heels

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's some fluff to take a break from all the shameless smut. Enjoy.

Rey eyed the numerous packages in the back of the car and then the one in her lap. Was she being greedy when she’d made him get her that baklava after all? He’d gotten himself a box of it, too, so maybe she shouldn’t feel too bad about it. Besides, she sucked his cock in the Barneys dressing room. Fair was fair. That was what their relationship was, after all. An exchange of goods and services. Sometimes, foods and services, apparently. She knew that going in. She’d been comfortable with that. So why was she starting to feel like she was taking advantage of him A soft, repetitive rattling sound pulled her from her thoughts.

“Does your car always make that noise?” she asked, frowning.

“It has for a few weeks now,” Hux acknowledged. “I haven’t found the time to take it in.”

“It’s the wheel bearing,” Rey confirmed confidently. “I can take a look at it, if you want.”

He looked at her from his peripheral vision. She’d said she worked as a mechanic. Her offer shouldn’t surprise him but it did regardless. She was always surprising him, it seemed

“I can come by tomorrow,” she suggested. His expression perked up almost imperceptibly. It wasn’t that he needed an excuse to get her over to him house. That’s what he paid her an allowance for. Still, he wouldn’t have felt comfortable asking to see her a third day in a row. It made him feel like he’d surrendered the upper hand, so to speak. She often made him feel that way and it was equal parts captivating and infuriating. This way, it was like she was the one who wanted to see him.

“I suppose you could come take a look at it in the afternoon,” he said casually. She smiled at him.

“Sure!”

When they reached her apartment, he helped her carry the garment bags and packages upstairs. She asked him to come in for tea but he thought crossly of the boy from earlier- _Finn_ and decided against it. He’d felt...well, something unpleasant he wasn’t ready to put a name to and he’d made a note to avoid potentially feeling that way again. He declined politely and she told him brightly that she’d see him tomorrow. He frowned because that made him feel something he didn’t want to think about either. His expression didn’t bother her. She was slowly learning to decipher his frowns. _The many frowns of Hux_ , she thought to herself, laughing as she made her way into her apartment. Finn was sitting on the couch, watching some kind of action film on TV. 

“Hey!” he greeted her over his shoulder before pausing the film and turning around fully. His face scrunched up when he took in the amount of bags at her feet.

“Rey...did you rob Barneys?” he gagged. She shook her head at him incredulously. 

“ _No_ , I did not rob Barneys! Why would I have bags if I had robbed them?” She set the boxes in her hands down on their coffee table before curling up next to him. There was no hiding it anymore and it was killing her not to tell him.

“We need to talk,” she told him hesitantly, pushing her hair back from her face. “So...you know how I met Hux- Armitage- online, right?”

“Yeah...,” he frowned. “And?”

“I, uh,” she coughed awkwardly, “I met him on a sugar daddy dating app.” 

He didn’t immediately freak out so she continued.

“He...he pays me to see him. I do like him, though! I mean, he’s nice and I guess- I’m enjoying spending time with him. A lot. Probably more than I should since he’s, like, paying me and everything and the worst possible person for me to fall for but, like, he just makes me fucking melt and...fuck, I don’t know, never mind that last part. But yeah- I guess I have a...a sugar daddy?”

Finn blinked, not moving until at last he opened his mouth, blurting out, “I’m gay.”

Rey’s jaw dropped and she sputtered, “W-what?!”

He rubbed the back of his neck uneasily, leaning back into the plush sofa cushion. 

“I mean...I guess I’m technically pan? I don’t know, I...I’m still working some things out.”

Rey broke out into a huge smile. 

“Finn!,” she squealed, giving her best friend a shove and making him laugh in return. 

“Welcome to the club! What brought this on? I mean- what made you realize?” she practically shrieked in excitement, sitting up with interest now, words coming out faster than she could think.

“I’m sort of...seeing someone,” he admitted, “A man.”

“That’s why you didn’t come home last night!”

He looked away shyly. “Y-yeah. He works at the place I’ve been working security for and he always stays late. I’ve been kind of crushing on him for a few weeks and apparently, he’s been hitting on me this whole time. Last night, things came to a head and I, um...ended up staying the night at his place?”

“You’re always so oblivious when people hit on you,” she chuckled, shaking her head. “That’s good, though! I’m really happy for you, Finn.” Rey beamed at him and he was unable to stop her smile from infecting him, a wide grin breaking out across his features.

“Sooo...Armitage, the sugar daddy, huh? I might have known when he showed up here looking like some kind of Ralph Lauren poster,” he huffed. “You better be making bank, you’re obviously way too cool for him.”

“I get an allowance every time I see him,” she divulged, clearing her throat. “It’s...it’s $1,000 a date, Finn.”

Her roommate’s eyebrows leapt up to his hairline and he looked around her, mouth hanging open, almost at loss for words. “Fuuuuck. We shoulda pimped you out a long time ago!” He laughed heartily when she smacked his head with a throw pillow.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding! But for real, that’s nuts. How old is he, anyway? I thought sugar daddies were all fat men in their 50’s but he almost looked like he could be our age.”

“He’s 34,” she confessed, cheeks flushed once again.

“Oh. Well, then, I don’t feel so bad!”

“Why?” she asked, eyebrows knitting together in confusion.

“Because my guy’s only 32.”

They laughed for way too long at that.

-

The next day, Rey showed up at Hux’s home half an hour past noon, a toolbox and package of replacement bearings in tow. She had her hair up in a messy bun and she was dressed in a pair a baggy, hole-ridden jeans and a tie-dyed shirt with pictures of sharks on it. He bit the inside of his cheek to keep from telling her it was the single most atrocious thing he’d ever seen since she hadn’t responded well to him telling her she looked homeless the day prior. She saw him staring and proudly exclaimed, “This is my favorite shirt!” 

His face remained blank out of sheer force of will. He then showed her to the garage and she immediately raised the hood of his car and went to work. She tried explaining the issue to him, pointing out this or that as she went and he would go “ah” and “mmhm” at all the right places but, for the most part, he just stood around awkwardly. Eventually, he retreated inside. Better that than admitting he had no understanding of or interest in what she was talking about. Rey was too absorbed in her work to notice, looking up to see he’d gone only when she heard the click of the door.

He slunk to his workspace and grabbed a pair of glasses from the table, slipping them on his face and picking up a silky bra, the latest sample he’d designed. Taking a needle and thread, he resumed his work, pulling pieces of padding and ribbon together deftly. He set out his phone so he could make some calls while he worked, ever multitasking. More importantly, it would keep his mind from wandering to the young woman currently in his garage.

“This is Hux,” his voice rang out in the quiet room. “Listen, that promotional material you emailed me is all wrong. The wording is completely misleading. And those numbers need to be adjusted as well. First thing tomorrow, get together with Phasma to fix it and in the future, do put forth a little effort. It shouldn’t be my job to catch your mistakes,” he sneered. One needless call down, half a dozen to make. He really was the only useful person in that place, baring Phasma. He was about to call Mitaka when his phone rang, startling him slightly. Another problem needing to be fixed, no doubt. He tapped the talk icon in the screen.

“Peavey,” he acknowledged.

“Mr. Hux,” a tired voice on the other line intoned, “Mr. Snoke requires your presence at his office right away.”

Hux’s brows furrowed. On a Sunday? What could be so important it couldn’t wait until tomorrow?

“Very well. I can be there within the hour,” he uttered in reply, frowning deeply. He set his glasses down once more and put the needle back in the pincushion on the table before remembering that Rey was still likely elbow deep in the guts of his car. He stood and strode to the garage, pulling on his coat as he went. Rey looked up when Hux reappeared in the doorway of the garage, a bit of black grease smudged endearingly across her cheek

“Something’s come up. I have to go take care of it,” he told her. She looked from him to the car, still being worked on. 

“Don’t worry, I’ll call a cab,” he reassured her. He pulled his wallet from his pants pocket and retrieved a credit card, handing it over to her.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be gone. If you need to go anywhere, just take an Uber. In fact,” he said, giving her outfit a withering look, “if you decide you need anything, just use my card. Treat yourself. Consider it a thank you for fixing the car.”

She took the card, looking at him curiously. “Are you sure? What if you need your card for something?”

He laughed, shaking his head at her. “Rey, I have other credit cards.”

“Oh,” she muttered, embarrassed. Of course he had multiple credit cards. “Okay, well...see you later?”

He nodded and hummed his agreement before turning on his heel and leaving her alone once more. 

Rey mulled over his words for a moment after he left, staring at the card. Could she really buy anything she wanted? She tapped the square bit of plastic against her lip. He did say she should treat herself.

-

Hux crossed his legs, settling into an uncomfortable black leather chair in a red and black clad office. He stared at the tall, thin figure in front of him whose ice cold eyes and scared face were twisted into a grotesque simulation of a smile.

“Mr. Hux,” he droned, “I’m glad you could come in. I wanted to discuss something with you.”

The way he dragged out the word discuss made Hux think this was not a discussion at all. Whatever Snoke had to say, he’d already made a final decision on the matter. Snoke owned the Le Premier Order label but Hux didn’t trust him when it came to matters of fashion. He, himself, was only a designer, though. He may have gotten some recognition for his work from magazines and social media influencers but that didn’t mean he was in a position to tell someone like Snoke how to run the company.

“As you know, our floor show is coming up in a little less than two week. I’ve been reviewing the designs we’ll be featuring.” His weathered hands pulled out a file filled with papers covered in designs and samples of fabrics from the enormous black desk in front of him. Most of them were Hux’s designs. “We were originally planning on showing ten sets. I’ve decided to push that to twelve.”

Hux nodded, his face impassive as ever. They were cutting it close but last minute changes were nothing unusual. He had a few designs he could get to the manufacturer today. 

Then, Snoke continued, “Unfortunately, none of the ones here fit with what’s trending now.”

He felt his whole body go rigid. 

“Additionally,” Snoke grumbled with a cruel curl of his lip, “I want to cut these from the show.” He pushed forward two of Hux’s designs. The latest he had finished, he’d barely gotten them done the day after his first lunch with Rey. As soon as the words had left his mouth, Hux was on his feet.

“Mr. Snoke! I have already begun work on the samples for these sets! I-,” he was shaking with fury and had to take a deep breath to compose himself before continuing, “I slaved over these designs. You were the one who suggested cleaner lines, this fabric, these colors. Everything about these designs, you asked for directly and I gave you just what you wanted. And now they’re not good enough?!,” he hissed.

“Sit down, Mr. Hux,” the man across from him spat. “You will destroy those samples and create new ones. Or is that too much for Armitage Hux?” His name fell from Snoke’s lips mockingly. Hux fumed, his pale face turning red with rage as he slowly returned to his seat, gripping the leather of the armrests.

“No, sir,” he seethed from between clenched teeth.

“My disappointment in your performance these last months cannot be overstated,” Snoke rasped, “Do not disappoint me again.”

His fists clenched, shaking almost imperceptibly with rage. 

-

Back at Hux’s brownstone, Rey bopped along through the kitchen to the song coming from the TV in the living room. Hux said to treat herself and, oh, she had. When she’d finished with the car, she came in to clean up and grab something to eat but after looking around the kitchen, she’d been sorely let down by the lack of snacks he kept on hand. His pantry and fridge were practically empty. How could someone with such a huge kitchen have almost no food in it? His wine rack was the only thing well stocked. She shook her head at the thought, grabbing a bowl of Doritos she’d fixed for herself, heading back to the couch. The man clearly had his priorities out of order.

Just as she’d gotten comfy, the front door slammed and she jumped, spilling some of the chips in her bowl.

“Shit!,” she muttered under her breath, scooping up the stray orange chips and putting them back in their bowl.

“Rey?,” Hux’s voice boomed from the entryway. He stormed into the house, throwing his jacket haphazardly over the kitchen counter. He needed a drink- urgently. She hadn’t answered when he called for her; she must have gone home. It sounded like she’d left the TV on, too. Rolling up his sleeves, he yanked open his kitchen cabinet to retrieve a bottle of scotch. That’s when he noticed it- all over his kitchen, filling his cabinet. Brightly colored packages of junk food. Instead of well aged scotch, he pulled down a bright yellow box with a picture of a cheerfully smiling child on it.

“What the fuck is a Nutty Bar?” he wondered aloud to the empty room.

“You’re back!”

The room wasn’t empty, after all. He turned to see Rey standing in that hideous tie-dyed shirt and...nothing else but a pair of plain black cotton panties. When she saw him looking at her bare legs, she laughed and shrugged.

“I got a bit dirty working on the car and I didn’t want to get it on your sofa so...”

His eyes raised to meet hers.

“Rey...what is all this?” He held up the box of chocolate covered treats as if to explain what he meant, gesturing with it to the various sugary foods scattered around his once pristine kitchen.

“You said I could get whatever I wanted. I wanted powdered doughnuts,” she explained, picking up a blue bag of the white powdery sweets, “and pop tarts...and fruit roll ups.”

He stared at her flatly and then rubbed at his temples, setting the box of Little Debbies down and brushing past her to the living room where he dropped onto the long dark grey sofa. He leaned his head back and massaged his forehead, trying to sooth away the beginnings of a migraine. Rey padded behind him on bare feet, tentatively sitting on the cushion beside him.

“Hey...are you okay? If this is about my snacks, I can get rid of them. I just thought since...since I’d probably be over her a lot, maybe- I’m sorry, I was way too presumptuous-”

“No,” he stopped her, holding up his hand. “It’s not you. It’s work. Please, don’t concern yourself.” She slid a little closer. He could feel her warmth through his clothes. 

When she wrapped her arms around him, he didn’t know how to react. He couldn’t react. He wasn’t sure what he’d been expecting, but it wasn’t this. When he finally moved, it was haltingly and with uncertainty. Slowly, his arm came around her shoulders and she leaned into his embrace, fitting right up against his chest. On his TV, a cartoon character in traditional Chinese dress was huddled under a statue of a dragon. Tears were streaming down her face.

“Are you...watching _cartoons_?,” he asked, his face screwing up. Rey scrunched her nose at him.

“It’s Mulan,” she scoffed, sounding almost offended. “It’s my favorite Disney movie.”

He gave her a look she couldn’t read. She sat up a little but remained pressed to his side.

“Don’t tell me you haven’t seen this movie.” 

He shrugged the shoulder on the side she wasn’t leaning on.

“I’m sure this comes as a great surprise but no, I don’t make a habit of watching children’s films.”  
Her mouth hung open in a display somewhere between disgust and disbelief.

“Disney movies are for all ages! Are you seriously telling me you don’t have a favorite Disney movie?! What the fuck, Hux?! Oh, we are watching this. Right now.” She moved to grab the remote and rewind the film to the beginning. 

“Go put on something comfortable, we’re gonna be here awhile. Luckily, I bought you some kettle corn.” She jumped up to go to the kitchen. He didn’t move.

“I’m perfectly comfortable in this,” he told her, exasperated. 

Her hands went to her hips and she tilted her head, face full of skepticism.

“You have your shoes on. And you’re wearing a _vest_.”

He frowned at her, looking up from under ginger lashes. When she didn’t move, he groaned and got up to go put on his pajamas. In the afternoon. Like some kind of- of teenaged pothead! When he rejoined her on the sofa, she had glasses of bright red liquid that tasted like a sugar bowl had been dumped in a vat of artificial cherry flavor and a huge bowl of hot popcorn. He told her he didn’t normally bring food into the living room. She stared at him like he’d grown a second head and he let the issue go. She’d arranged his fleece throw that he’d never actually used and the throw pillows from the sofa around them. In between huge handfuls of popcorn, she would lean over and quietly explain something about the movie- where the inspiration for this scene came from, or how they’d animated that particular moment. When the main character was reunited with her father, he’d turned to her to make a snide comment about how overly sentimental the scene was but fell silent when he saw tears slipping down her face. He moved a hand behind her back and pulled her closer instead. The movie ended and she chose another Disney film for them to watch. For the sake of his “education”, she told him. Halfway through, she asked if they could order dinner. He thought about ordering from a French restaurant he’d read about recently in an arts and culture magazine.

She wanted pizza. They got pizza. It was the fanciest pizza she’d ever heard of- topped with wild mushrooms and some kind of special beef and it tasted amazing. Before they knew it, it was dark outside and he offered her a ride home, not quite ready to see her go. They rode in comfortable silence for most of the way but when they stopped at a particularly long red light, he remembered something.

“101 Dalmatians,” he said so quiet she almost didn’t hear him. She turned to him, her face awash with curiosity. 

“That was my favorite Disney movie as a child,” he elaborated for her. “I think one of my nannies let me watch it. I thought the villain was funny.”

“You thought Cruella DeVil- the woman who wanted to murder puppies- was _funny_.” Her eyebrows lowered in concern.

He thought about it. “I developed an appreciation for gallows humor early on,” he replied. She giggled, shaking her head. Her laughter was like the pealing of a small bell and he smiled with her. She kissed him when he dropped her off in front of her building. 

That night, he slept better than he’d expected, his kitchen full of sugary, fatty snacks and his home rich with the scent of _Rey_.


	7. You Make Me Feel Like Dancing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux has vanilla sex and is mortified.

The cold October breeze sent leaves flying across the sidewalk on the street below Rey’s bedroom window. A few drops of rain clattered against the glass and she looked up from her tiny laptop to the grey, heavy clouds outside. It had been almost a week since she had gone to Hux’s place and although it made her uncomfortable to admit, she’d often found herself wondering what he was doing, especially in quiet moments like this.

She chewed her bottom lip, willing away the mental image of a tall, willowy figure made imposing by a crisp black suit and dangerous eyes that floated through her mind unbidden. He had told her he’d been having problems at work. She imagined that’s what had kept him from texting or calling her all week. Deep inside, she hoped she was right and that he hadn’t gotten bored with her. For a brief dark moment, a harsh voice resounded in her head, telling her he had abandoned her and that she’d probably never see him again. He’d fucked her and had his fun and now he had left her.

Her fingers pressed to her eyes with a ragged sigh and she forced herself to focus on her computer screen and not her relationship with her sugar daddy. She’d sent her resume to a few places Maz had told her about thus far but hadn’t heard back from any of them yet. Currently she was in the middle of the mind numbing process of filling out all the same information that was listed in her resume on an application for a position at a tailor’s shop in the garment district.

She wondered if Hux worked somewhere near there. She never did ask him what he did. Maybe if it was near enough, they could have lunch together more often. If she ever spent the night at his place, he could give her rides to work. God, she needed to stop.

It would have been a lot easier to do so if he hadn’t texted her right at that very moment. She snatched her buzzing phone off her bedside table. He’d only texted her two words.

**Dinner tonight?**

She couldn’t stop the toothy grin that took over her face if she’d tried.

-

Hux stood outside the swanky downtown cocktail bar he’d made reservations at, a lit cigarette perched between his fingers. The week had been hellish. He’d worked night and day to come up with the samples for the floor show. Snoke had approved his two new designs and now all that was left to do was get the manufacturers to produce them. He lifted the collar of his black wool coat up in defense against the cold night wind, checking his watch. 

She’d be here soon. The morning after she’d left, he’d turned off his personal phone and left it in his desk. It was the only way to keep himself from texting her. He’d hoped he could make up for it tonight. Not that he needed to make anything up to her. He didn’t owe her his time. If anything, it was the other way around. He didn’t need to apologize for being busy with work as though she were his wife and he was placating her with a night on the town. But if she was cross with him, she might not be keen on letting him redden her pert, round ass with the riding crop he’d been fantasizing about beating her with lately. Any moment he’d had to himself, he’d thought of her on her knees for him, begging for his cock or the sting of his hand.

Now she’d be there any moment and all he could think about was how she would smile when she saw him. The smattering of freckles across her face. How her cheeks dimpled when she laughed. The blasted ripped jeans that clung to her hips just right. 

He rubbed the bridge of his nose with the thumb of the hand holding his cigarette. She’d become a vice in his life. Every bit as delicious and intoxicating as the cigarette he now placed between pink, frowning lips.

A car rolled up outside the bar and a young valet in a white coat rushed to open the passenger side door. She emerged from the car like hazy smoke; a dream he’d had every night that week made real. His forehead creased in concern. She was quickly becoming a full on addiction.

Rey met his sour expression with one of her signature high-beam smiles, as always, and he led them inside the dark, extravagantly decorated establishment. He sucked in a breath when she handed her coat to the hostess. She was wearing one of the dresses he’d bought her last week. A black silk Dolce and Gahanna with lace covered cut outs across her stomach and upper chest. It was much very much in line with his own style as a designer and exactly what he would have chosen for her to wear tonight. Its fluttering hemline’s short length was exaggerated by her long, coltish legs. His eyes slowly wandered up to find her taking in the expensive décor of the bar. He mentally thanked the universe that she hadn’t seen his reaction. She held enough power over him already.

When they were seated, Rey opened a menu and audibly gasped, “Oh, my God!” sounding as though something were horribly amiss.

“What, what’s wrong? Rey, what is it?” Hux floundered, his voice full of concern.

“They’ve got steak on the menu as an appetizer!,” she said, holding open the black leather bound book to show him. Hux’s face fell, his lips twisting into an annoyed scowl.

“Hey, the last appetizer I ordered at a bar was nachos and I had to pay extra for the guac and jalapenos. This is incredible,” she stated firmly.

Hux’s face returned to its normal carefully controlled expression but Rey thought she saw the hints of an actual smile. She’d learned that his real smiles were slightly different from the practiced ones he’d given her when they first met and secretly prided herself on getting him to give her a real one.

When their waitress came, Rey ordered an expensive coconut flavored frozen cocktail, complete with little chunks of fruit on a miniature plastic sword, and of course, the steak. Hux had wine and oysters, and then ordered them two Irish cream affogatos. 

He’d told her he was only getting himself one because the ridiculous tropical drink she’d gotten was dessert enough and she stared at him open mouthed in disappointment until she realized he was teasing her, a playful smirk on his lips. She flushed and looked away, pretending to be annoyed but still smiled.

After they’d finished dessert, they stepped out into the cold night and Hux wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close. She looked up at him, hazel eyes wide. Her heart thumped loudly in her chest. 

“What now?” she whispered, the sound breathy.

“Whatever you want,” he answered. He had that serious look about him again. Like he’d really give her anything she asked for. She swallowed. 

A brightly lit sign over his shoulder caught her eye. His eyebrows came together curiously when he noticed and he followed her line of vision. She was looking down to the end of the street but at what, he wasn’t sure. He looked back at her, quirking an eyebrow.

“I want to go there!” she laughed when she caught his questioning expression. 

“What? Where?”

She started off down the street and he followed after her, becoming increasingly confused and irritated by the minute.

His query was soon answered when she stopped in front of a nightclub. Softly thumping music could be heard coming from inside and people stood all around in outrageous outfits that frankly, offended him as a fashion designer. A sign on the door proclaimed, “FRIDAY OCT 13TH - 70’s NIGHT”.

“ _No._ ,” he told her without room for question. 

“Why not?,” she frowned. He looked uncomfortable, eyes darting between her, the nightclub, and any possible exit from this situation.

Finally he admitted, “I don’t dance.” He hadn’t said it as if he couldn’t dance, but rather as though he had a firm rule against the whole affair.

“You’re kidding, right? You’re really going to do this bit?”

He stared angrily at her.

She regarded him coolly.

It was a battle of wills. After a few tense moments, she shrugged.

“I guess I could find someone else in there to dance with,” she proclaimed loudly, turning towards the entrance to the club. A large hand grasped her wrist before she got too far. She glanced back at him with a playful grin.

“Do you honestly think that would work on me?” he huffed.

“Didn’t it?”

He shifted his jaw carefully but didn’t let go of her arm. Instead, his hand slid down to take hers and he pulled her along, throwing the door to the club open. His senses were assaulted with ABBA and an overabundance of glitter.

He waited for her to give her ID to the bouncer and then dragged her behind him to the bar. The bouncer had not asked for his ID and he felt mildly offended but refused to show it. He ordered himself a triple of whiskey and threw it back at once. 

Rey slipped against his body and shouted something over the music that sounded like, “I love this song!” 

She would, he thought grimly. He nearly growled when someone clad in a lamé nightmare jostled him from behind but then he became acutely aware of how Rey was moving against him. She took the lapels of his jacket in her hands and began swaying, mouthing the lyrics to the pop song. Or maybe she was singing and he just couldn’t hear. The whiskey had made his lips tingle pleasantly and his throat warm and all of a sudden, his world was reduced to the space in front of him occupied by _her_.

The song faded out and she threw her head back, laughing and shaking her chestnut tresses. He smiled gently, feeling like they were in their own private world. A new song came on and she pulled her hands away, flapping them up and down, looking frantic.

“This is my jam!” she shouted.

He scrunched his face up, leaning closer. “You want some jam?!”

She took him by the crook of his elbow and pulled in the direction of the dance floor. He followed her helplessly, completely under her spell. The room undulated with bodies and a tangible pulse of music. She held both his hands in hers and was doing this ridiculous alternate pushing and pulling motion, shaking this way and that. He only moved when she moved him, letting her pull him around the small area they’d claimed as theirs. She lifted his hands over her head, twirled under his arm, bumped her hip against his. It was mortifying and childish but when she turned to grind against him and pull his hands around his waist, he no longer cared about that.

She felt soft and warm and with her head right under his nose, he could tell she was wearing something that smelled of vanilla and spice. She spun in his arms over and over and the red lights of the club played in her hair. All around him, people in obnoxious glittering outfits swayed and shouted. It was disorder and chaos and he should have hated it but her hands were moving all over his body and all his concentration flew to them. Her arms were around his shoulders again and she’d let her fingers brush the tips of his ears and move into his hair. The sensation made him shiver and his eyes slid shut. Song after song, she’d spin and bounce along with the music and he let her lead him.

The song transitioned and a familiar beat drifted across the room. It took him a moment to realize they were playing something from David Bowie’s Young Americans.

“I know this song!” he shouted, somewhat surprised and excited. She beamed at him and bounced in time with the music, her lips moving to match the lyrics. There in the drifting blue and red lights that cut through the darkness, he was struck by the notion that she was _his_. In his arms, in the dress he’d bought her, singing his song. All his. 

That thought shot straight to his dick and he ground against her harder when she turned, arms in the air. His hands went to hold her against him, fingers spanning wide across her hips. She felt so small in his grip. He nipped at the back of her neck and she groaned, grinding back against him in turn and feeling how hard he’d gotten. He continued his assault on her neck. Her skin was warm but it also _tasted_ of warmth. She was like the sun. His mouth searched out every inch of skin but it wasn’t enough and he spun her around to kiss her. She gasped against his mouth and his tongue slid between her lips to continue its exploration. She was sweet and hot and the taste of her was slowly driving him mad. 

He’d surprised her with the passion in his kiss. This was different from the rough way he’d kissed her before. This kiss was soft and slow and wet and full of ardor. He'd always kissed her like he was starving and she was delicious, but not he kissed her as though he was savoring the flavor. She sucked his lip between her teeth and he let out a low groan. One of his hands slid up to cup her jaw and he kissed the side of her mouth, trailing down until he was bent over her slightly, sucking at her pulse. She pressed her thighs together, instinctively seeking out any friction she could find to soothe her clit, twitching with need. 

As if sensing what she was thinking, he circled her, coming behind to grind her backside against his lap once more. On the crowded dance floor, it was easy for him to slip a hand down to her bare thigh unnoticed and she gasped in response. He dragged his fingertips up to the crotch of her panties and found her wet and ready for him and his cock pulsed. He thought about shoving her up against a dark corner and having his way with her right there but he quickly dismissed the idea, needing to have her to himself, unwilling to share her with the masses of people grinding and shimmying against one another like they were.

Without a word, he pulled her across the dance floor and past the bar to the entrance hurriedly and then they were back on the street and his strides quickly ate up the distance to his car. She sped up her own steps to keep up with him, unwilling to let go of his hand.

“Time to go to home already?” she giggled at his enthusiasm, teasing him. He held the car door open for her and then dashed to his side, sliding into the driver’s seat.

“Too far,” he answered, shaking his head. He didn’t elaborate but he didn’t need to as they soon pulled up to a Hilton hotel. He handed the keys over to a valet and she trailed behind him, captivated by the high ceilings and murals throughout the lobby. She wandered over to where a large chandelier made of blown glass hung over a fountain, admiring the excess of it all. He handed over his platinum card to the girl behind the counter and told her concisely, “Any room that’s available now.”

She took his card and ID and after a moment of searching on her computer, began to tell him, “We have a suite with a king bed. That also comes with one of our-”

“Yes, fine. Perfect,” he cut her off. She entered his credit card information and when she tried to ask him if he was a rewards member, his murderous stare was enough to make her stop short. She handed him his card key just as Rey appeared at his side again. “Please enjoy your stay, Mr. and Mrs. Hux!”

He didn’t bother to correct her and Rey flushed. As soon as they were in the elevator, Hux was on her and she let him lift her, wrapping her legs around his waist and moaning into his kiss. “Fuck,” he hissed when she ground herself against his crotch, “I’ve wanted you all week, pet.” His voice came out in hot pants against her neck and she sighed dreamily at his admission.

Everything happened in a blur. They were in a hallway, then the room, and then he was pulling her dress off and she was being pushed down onto the bed. He pulled off her bra quickly, not caring for the cheap design anyway and began covering her chest in kisses, shrugging off his jacket to toss it aside where it met his shoes and necktie on the floor. He licked a long stripe over the swell of one breast and then pulled the sensitive nipple of the other into his mouth. She was the sweetest thing he’d ever tasted. He kissed his way down her body until he reached her dripping core, tugging off her soaked panties. He bit into her soft, pliant thighs, his tongue tracing invisible patterns all over her skin. Rey whimpered and bucked her hips softly, feeling too sensitive from the teasing nips and kisses he laid all along her hips and thighs. He cupped her in his pale hands and with his thumbs, pulled apart her pink downy lips with his fingers. 

“Christ, Rey, look at your pretty, wet cunt,” he snarled, “I wonder if you taste as good as you look.”

The only answer she could give him was comprised of gasps and whimpers as his tongue darted out to lick up her folds and settle flat against her clit where he sucked gently. Her hands twisted into the pillow below her head and she sobbed “yes” and “ _please_ ” and who was he to deny her?

He reached under her hip to hook his arm around one of her legs, pushing it up and over his shoulder to give him a better angle. Hux was not someone who normally enjoyed giving oral sex but he’d known from the moment they walked in the room he wanted nothing more than to taste everything this sun goddess incarnate had to offer. His lips worked her tender clit, sucking and kissing between long licks. The tip of his tongue was precise in its moment, going exactly where she needed it to. His face was slick with her and for all of the filthy things Armitage Hux had done in his life, the physical proof of how she wanted him currently smeared across the lower half of his face was driving him insane. 

Rey cried out when he slid two slim fingers into her warm cunt. He stretched them apart, opening her deliciously, and curled them up in a “come hither” motion and indeed, she felt as though she could come any moment. He groaned audibly at the feeling of her muscles sucking his fingers into her, remembering just how tight she had felt around his cock. He ground against the mattress desperately to alleviate some of the tension from his painfully swollen member.

She looked down to the bright orange crop of hair moving expertly between her thighs and at just that moment, his eyes glanced up to catch hers and she felt all the breath leave her lungs. Hux lifted his head slightly and she could see his rose-colored lips, made glossy from her arousal and slightly parted as he panted above her. His fingers picked up a punishing pace and her muscles clenched and tightened around them, her orgasm eminent. He held her gaze with his, eyes dark under his pallid brow. He looked at her so intensely, it was like time outside the room had come to a standstill. It was almost too much but she couldn’t look away.

He watched her shoulders shake and her breath stutter and knew she was getting close. He gave one last kiss to the throbbing bundle of nerves at the apex of her sex and moved to kneel over her, fingers still pumping inside of her. 

“Want you to cum on my cock, Rey,” he crooned sweetly to her. She nodded frantically, desperate to have him inside her. Her hands flew to his shirt and started pulling at the buttons. He pulled his fingers from her and helped her shaking hands but they gave up halfway down, and focused instead on unbuckling his belt and finally releasing his engorged member, red and throbbing with need.

He shoved off his pants and boxers and settled himself between her legs. She opened her mouth to remind him to put on a condom but all that came out was a needy mewl as his thick head parted her lips and pressed inside her. He kissed and she could taste her dried cum on him. She placed her hands on either side of his head, sucking the taste from his lips. His hips stuttered, pulling back a moment, and then his cock slipped inside her all at once until he was fully seated, making him curse under his breath at the feeling. She hissed and her tiny hands gripped his shoulders and he kissed all over her face in apology, eyes searching hers for discomfort but she shook her head. She loved how he filled her and she bucked up against him, needing him to move. Not needing any further prompting, he began to fuck up into her with abandon, her pussy squeezing him perfectly. He was overwhelmed by her in a way he never had been with a partner, her little hands scratching up and down his back, moans escaping her lips. 

“You’re taking my cock so well, darling,” he panted against her cheek. “My good girl.”

Rey’s eyes rolled back at the praise. “Yes- I’m yours. I’m your good girl.”

Hearing her say those words did something unholy to him and he slammed into her harder before sliding his arms underneath her and rolling them so she was on top. She cried out when he slipped out of her but quickly got her bearings and positioned herself over his glistening cock. He watched intently as she lowered herself onto him, burning the image in his memory. He stretched her beautifully and somehow he looked even bigger with her around him. His hands squeezed her hips and brought her down fully, making her lean forward and sob with pleasure. His dick reached even deeper in this position and her whole body shook from how full her pussy felt. 

“Beautiful,” he whispered to himself, almost too quiet to even hear, as he brought his hand down to the tawny patch of hair above her core, pressing his fingers to her clit. She found her pace and began riding him hard, slamming down over and over. With every rise and fall of her hips, her breasts would bounce and jiggle enticingly and he pressed his hands to her back, forcing her forward so he could take the peak of one in his mouth. His hips began to rise to meet hers, thrusting into her with everything he had, making her cry out his name. He released her breast to lick up the center of her chest, his breath coming out erratically. He could listen to her say his name for eternity and it wouldn’t be enough.

His hair had gotten mussed when they’d changed positions and now hung over his forehead. Seeing him even a bit disheveled did something to her and her pussy fluttered around him, making her grind down against him as she sobbed, “I’m cumming, I’m cumming,” like a sacred chant. He felt his balls tighten almost painfully as her pussy sucked him for everything he had. Somewhere in his lust fueled haze, he realized he was going to cum in her without a condom and just the thought had him groaning loudly and bucking up into her overworked cunt, filling her with long ropes of his warm cum. She shivered when she felt it slowly begin to leak out of her. Instinctively, his hands came up to the back of her head, smoothing her hair, and she leaned down to kiss him, feeling utterly fucked and blissed out. She allowed her full weight to settle over him and he ran his hands up and down her back soothingly, pressing his lips to the top of her head.

After a moment or two, she sat up, sucking in a breath and slowly lifting herself off him, her skin peeling away from his. She collapsed on his side and it was only then, when he’d pulled her against his chest and found wrapped his arms around her that he came to realize he’d just had unbelievable sex and it was...vanilla. _Caring_ , even. He ate her out. He let her ride him. He hadn’t so much as spanked her or called her a name or ordered her about. For perhaps the first time in his life, Armitage Hux had just made love. His stomach turned.

Blissfully ignorant of his inner turmoil, Rey pulled the comforter that had gotten twisted up during their activities around them and damn it, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt so fucking comfortable. Laying there, the taste of sex in his mouth, sticky with sweat and body fluids, he felt like he could sleep for years. The bed was too soft. She was too warm. He’d barely slept all week. His body was torn between wanting to drift off to sleep and fear, knowing that he’d...felt things. She made him feel. The corners of his mouth turned down, disquieted. 

It was the alcohol, he told himself. Although, he didn’t feel drunk, or even remotely tipsy. It was the atmosphere of the nightclub and the fact that he hadn’t gotten any all week. He was just eager to get his dick wet. He told himself this and it made him relax enough to fall asleep.


	8. We Came So Close

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hux is not a smart man.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I keep forgetting to mention it but I made a minor change to chapter 4 some time ago for the sake of continuity so...yeah. What it is.

When Hux awoke, it was to the sound of thunder outside. The red glowing numbers on the clock sitting on the nightstand told him it was 8 a.m. Late, for Hux. The room was dark. Rey was lying curled against his side. His throat felt tight. Last night, he had compared her to an addiction. In this too-comfortable bed, with her beside him, he thought bitterly that addiction was a disease. 

It was never meant to be like this; all soft touches and sighs. He needed to put a stop to that before it went any further; to restore order to his life. She mumbled in her sleep beside him and drew the blankets closer, snuggling into her pillow. His eyes closed again, against his will. Everything about this was wrong but he was drunk off the feeling of her skin on his. He stayed there for a moment longer than he intended, memorizing the little things subconsciously; the weight of her in the bed, the way her silky hair brushed against his arm, the soft comforting sound of her breathing. It wasn’t until she began to stir that he moved, steeling himself with resolve. After today, they would only meet to fuck. He slipped from the bed and collected the shirt he’d throw over the side in the middle of the night as well as the rest of his clothes and headed to the bathroom. 

Rey blinked the sleep from her eyes slowly, only somewhat aware of the feeling of Hux rolling out of bed and ducking into the bathroom. She turned over and got comfortable again, stretching her aching muscles. The shower could be heard turning on from across the room and she mused about the night before. Sleep was threatening to take her once more but she had too many thoughts to really let herself drift off. Last night was different than what she’d been expecting. The memory of the way he’d looked at her still sent shivers up her spine. The mood was entirely removed from their previous encounters. It was still amazing but he’d been…gentle with her. She flushed, remembering how she had danced with him. It had felt special somehow. Like he was giving her something meaningful.  
She shouldn’t be feeling this way. Their relationship was a transaction. If she was being honest with herself, any relationship she’d had up till then had been as well. This one was just more concrete, with agreed upon terms. Romance, feelings; these things were off the table. It was for her own good, she reminded herself. Everyone left eventually. She was only saving herself from heartache by not letting people too close.

For some reason, though, after last night, she had been rethinking that. She chewed her lower lip. Maybe for him, she thought. Maybe for him she could let it be different. She could let him in, even just a little. The thought of that scared her. It was good, what they had. She had fun with him. The sex was great. It’s not like he wanted more, anyway. Even if he had stared at her like she was the whole universe with his mouth on her cunt.

She heard the shower turn off and sat up. When he emerged from the bathroom, he was fully dressed and his wet hair was slicked back in its signature style. He stilled when he saw her, like he’d been startled from his thoughts.

“Good morning,” she said, her voice soft with sleep. 

He cursed her voice. It was beautiful and lilting and that wasn’t making things any easier.

“Good morning,” he grumbled in reply, sitting on the bed to put on his shoes.

“Um…,” she tried, “I don’t know what your plans are for today but if you’re not busy, maybe we could have breakfast together.”

He swallowed thickly and moved to where his jacket and the rest of his belongings had ended up. 

“Listen,” he started, securing his watch over his wrist, “I don’t want you getting the wrong idea.”

“The wrong idea…about what?” Rey scoffed, irritation plain on her face.

He looked away. He couldn’t look at her if he was going to do this.

“Just because we spent the night together doesn’t mean this is more than just sex. You’re an excellent fuck but I feel I need to remind you there’s no romance between us.”

Her heart skipped a beat and she found herself unable to move from where she sat on the bed. She shook her head at herself.

“I know that,” she snapped back at him, “Do you?”

He paused, taken aback at her words.

“Because last night, you looked at me like you-”

“Last night shouldn’t have happened the way it did. That’s not what this is.”

She fumed. “You’re right. It shouldn’t have,” she stated in agreement. 

He had been the one to say it but her agreeing with him- that cut him to the bone. He was glad he’d turned himself away because maintaining his usual impassive expression was becoming difficult. His jaw clenched. So, the truth was out at last. He’d had to pry it from her but there was no mistaking it.

“Do you want to end this?” he said as evenly as he could manage.

The anger slipped from her face. Hurt and confusion flickered across her features before she managed to school her expression. She’d been left before. She was used to it. 

“Yeah. Yeah, I think that’d be for the best.”

Hux wanted to shout, to- he didn’t know what. He was the one who suggested this relationship be no-strings-attached. He had no business being angry if she wanted to move on. She watched him put on his jacket and start for the door. He snuck a glance at her. It had been a bad idea. She looked unaffected. Why wouldn’t she be? She was so much _better_ than him. A dark refrain played in his mind: _you’re useless_.

He gathered his coat and told her, “You’ll still be paid for yesterday,” as if he’d bought a service from her. She wanted to punch something. Probably his stupid face. “The room is yours until noon,” he finished, and without any further ado, was out the door.

She realized she’d been biting the inside of her cheek. Her gaze moved to the dress lying beside the bed. The one he’d bought her the day he made her body sing in the dressing room of Barneys. The only thing she had to wear. She threw the covers off and stomped over to a desk in the sitting area of the suite, picking up the room service menu. She had until noon? Good. She was going to have a fucking good morning on his dime.

She picked up the phone on the desk and dialed 1 for room service. The phone rang and a cheerful voice answered. 

“Yes, hi, I’d like the breakfast menu.”

There was a pause when the man on the other end asked her to clarify. 

“The whole menu,” she replied.

-

When Hux reached his house, he had no recollection of how he got there. He’d been driving on autopilot. He entered the brownstone and was immediately greeted by a warm ball of orange fur at his feet.

“There you are, Millicent,” he whispered to the cat. He picked her up and held her against his chest. “Daddy’s sorry he wasn’t here this morning.” 

She sniffed at his chest. He smelled like stranger and she twisted her body away from him. He set her back on the ground and she dashed away to one of her many hiding places. He huffed, tossing his keys on the nearest receptacle, and made his way to the living room where he dropped down into a chair, long legs spread out. He was making all the women in his life unhappy, apparently. He thought of Rey. He hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Rey. He let his head loll back against the chair. She would never speak to him again. Another failed attempt at human interaction, he thought, bitterly. Millicent meowed noisily from another room.

“What have you to complain about?” he groaned, “You’re not the one that fucked things up.”

-

Rey treated herself to a bubble bath in the luxuriously large tub of the hotel suite, where she slipped a glass of their most expensive rum and polished off a $20 plate of chocolate chip cookies while watching a movie she’d purchased on the TV across from the bathroom. By the time she left, she’d ordered over $150 in room service. She then took a premium Uber back to her apartment, using his credit card information, which she still had stored on the app. It was pouring rain, making the drive longer than usual.

She watched the city pass by slowly from her window and told herself everything would be _fine_. Of course, it would. She wasn’t heartbroken. She hadn’t loved him. He was just a handsome man with deep pockets and she was someone who needed some quick cash. She had liked that that was all there was to it. She never wanted this to be a relationship. Everything that happened between them could be boiled down to physical chemistry. As much as she told herself this, she felt a tightening in her chest when she remembered how she told him she wanted to end things.

Eventually, she was let off at her apartment building. In the scant seconds spent walking from the car to the door, Rey was thoroughly doused. She made her way up the stairs sluggishly, dripping water as she went. Finn was coming out of the bathroom just as she’d closed the door and he smiled upon seeing her.

“Hey, how’d it go with-,” he stopped when he saw her. She stood by the door unmoving, rain water dripping from her hair. “Rey?”

As if shaken from a trance, she suddenly met his gaze. Her eyes stung hotly. He began to move to her side but she took off down the hall to her room, brushing past him and mumbling something about how she was tired. It was stupid to cry over this and she couldn’t bear for him to see her so angry. 

Once the door to her room had been closed, she started peeling off her clothes. She left them wherever they landed and climbed into her bed bare-skinned. Once she was in the familiar comfort of her bed, the tears finally trailed down her cheeks, burning hot. There was a knock on the door.

“Rey?” Finn called from the hallway, “can you talk to me, girl?”

She didn’t answer, not trusting her own voice and not knowing what to say even if she did. After a moment, he spoke up again.

“I’m here, okay? Whatever you need, I’m here.”

Her eyes clenched shut and she let out a soft sob. 

“I know,” she rasped.

She heard him walk away and she willed herself to sleep and not think.

-

Late the next day, Rey woke with groan, rolling in her bed. She’d tossed and turned all night, only drifting off here and there. Well, all night and day since she’d gone to sleep at the tender hour of half past noon. The last 24 hours or so had been a cycle of sleeping, wandering into the kitchen, staring into the fridge, closing the fridge, and shuffling back to bed. She’d tried to grade papers last night but had somehow ended up on the couch talking to Finn.

He listened while she told him all about what happened. She wasn’t _upset_ , she insisted. She was pissed. If anything, she had wanted to go a couple rounds with the guy. 

“I’ve seen him without his clothes on, man, I’m telling you, I could take him to the mat.”

“Well, goodbye lifestyles of the rich and famous, I guess,” he snorted. She hesitated. He noticed.

“You’re not telling me something.”

“I…look, I made like $6,000 the past two weeks and…he bought me all those clothes. I can resell them online and make a few thousand dollars…”

Finn looked confused and concerned.

“Well, okay, but why are you telling me that?”

Tears pricked the back of her eyes and she couldn’t stop them from spilling over.

“B-because I lost my job,” she wept, taking a shuddering breath. “I can still pay rent for awhile but I don’t know how long the money will last and-”

He rushed to gather her into his arms and she let him rock her gently. 

“Why didn’t you tell me?” he hummed softly, rubbing her back when she started to hiccup.

“Because,” she admitted, “They’re keeping me on until the end of the semester. I thought I’d have some cool new job lined up by then and that in the mean time, I could make some extra cash doing the sugar baby thing.”

“And then you caught feels for Daddy, huh?”

She smacked his arm half heartedly and wiped the tears from her face.

“It wasn’t that. It was just…I don’t know. Everything went to shit.”

He didn’t believe her for a moment but held her and talked with her about finding a job until she stared yawning and he sent her to bed.

Now the sun was shining obnoxiously, only serving to renew her ire. _Think positive_ , she told herself. _You’ve had it way worse than this_. She needed to get over it. It was two weeks and they’d had sex twice- well, maybe three times. She shouldn’t even care this much about it. He was free to leave whenever he wanted. He didn’t need to be such an arsehole about the whole thing, though. She shifted in bed, trying to get comfortable in the hopes that she’d fall asleep again but it was no good.

Just then, her phone rang shrilly on the table next to her causing her heart to jump into her throat. Was it Hux? Would he apologize? Would he admit he was an insufferable bastard and beg for her to come back to him? She scrambled across the bed to where her phone was charging. In that half a second, she’d wanted to apologize to him as well and was anxious to hear his voice.

The blue light of the screen seemed brighter than normal in the mostly dark room. It was not the person she’d hoped it’d be. Instead, it was her mentor and former professor, Maz.

“Hello?” she croaked, voice hoarse from crying and disuse.

“Rey! I’ve got some good news for you.”

Rey could use some good news. She clutched her phone closer.

“You’ve got a new lead on a job for me?”

“Better!” Maz exclaimed, “An old friend in the industry called, she’s the office manager at La Premier Ordre. They’re looking for someone new to start right away and she’s agreed to give you an interview!”

Rey’s mouth opened and closed a few times in awe before she could form a somewhat coherent sentence.

“Maz! Are you kidding me? Please tell me you’re serious,” she pleaded. The kind older woman chuckled good naturedly on the other end of the line. 

“As a heart attack! She wants to meet with you today, if you’re free!”

Rey shot up straight. Today? She wanted to meet _today_? Rey ran a shaking hand through the hair that was plastered flat against her head. Of course she could do today!

“Yes! Oh, my gosh, Maz, yes!" she squealed, tripping over her words. Maz laughed warmly.

“Oh, excellent, dear. The interview is at 6 p.m., sharp. I’ll email you the address. You’ll be meeting with Ariana Phasma.”

“Okay, yeah- uh, I mean- yes. Yes! Thank you, so much, Maz, really, I don’t know how I’ll ever repay you!”

“Oh, don’t you worry about that,” Maz insisted, “Just get dressed and get down to Manhattan. You haven’t much time!”

Rey pulled the phone away from her face to check the time. It was 3 in the afternoon. She’d have just enough time to prepare, make herself presentable, and get to the interview.

“I’ll be there. Thank you, thank you so much!" she raved before hanging up and running to her closet to find something that said “hire me”. The first thing she laid eyes on was a smart, black, suit jacket style dress His Royal Shittyness had bought her. She worried her bottom lip before grabbing it off the hangar. 

“Fuck you,” she whispered out loud. “I’m getting this job.”

-

Rey arrived at the La Premier Ordre offices at exactly 15 minutes until the time of her interview. After getting dressed, she’d scarfed down a big lunch and researched the brand’s signature style and history. She’d actually gotten to wear their lingerie so she spent some time practicing talking about her experience with it- what she liked about it, how it’d made her feel. She did not think about the fact that it had been a gift from Hux or that it was still at his house. Well, she tried. In her research, she’d discovered that the label was known for its darkly sensual design, luxurious materials, and meticulously crafted bras, panties, and corsets. They had boutiques around the world and several of their designers had created haute couture sets for celebrities. The company was owned by a man named Snoke but there was very little printed about him. There were some interviews with a handful of the label’s designers but she decided to focus what little time she had on researching the company itself and its business model so she would feel prepared. She’d probably just be a go-for, anyway.

The building was more sleek and modern than she had expected for something as intimate as lingerie. It was beautiful but cold. She snorted derisively. It reminded her of a certain sour faced man in dark, crisp suits. A secretary showed her to a waiting room and let her know Ms. Phasma would be there momentarily. Rey sat and fidgeted as the minutes passed. 

She crossed her legs. Uncrossed her legs. Smoothed an invisible wrinkle on the skirt of her dress. Wondered if her dress had been too short for an interview. Briefly lamented her gangly legs. Tried to shove her feet under the chair while sitting in a way that was casual. Why’d she wear these shoes? She hated these shoes. She hoped this Phasma woman didn’t look at her shoes.

At precisely 6, an impossibly tall woman slinked into the room, wearing a beautifully tailored white suit. She had a short, bright crop of platinum blonde hair and beautiful blue eyes, Rey noted. The Amazonian blonde looked Rey over. Her gaze lingered on her shoes. Rey contemplated the possibility of sinking into the floor but instead stood and extended her hand.

“Rey Sanderson. It’s a pleasure to meet you,” she proclaimed, sticking her chin out assertively. The woman took her hand with a firm grip. 

“Ariana Phasma. I’m the office manager here at La Premier Ordre. Won’t you come this way?” Her voice was smooth and elegant. She led Rey into an office that was all bright windows and chrome. She had no photos or personal effects on her desk.

“You’ve brought a resume?” she asked.

“Yes, of course” Rey replied, scrambling to hand over the paper.

Phasma took it from her, glancing at the list of qualifications and accomplishments.

“You’re British,” she stated without pretense.

“Uh, yes, ma’m.”

“Always nice to have another Brit working for the company,” the imposing woman mused. Rey’s heart fluttered excitedly in her chest. That had to be good, right? 

Maz tells me you were an exemplary student but it seems you have no real life experience with fashion.”

She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry.

“I would consider the work I’ve done for Professor Kanata excellent preparation for a career in fashion.”

Phasma nodded.

“Your degree is in fashion but it says here your focus was on textile design?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m very passionate about fabrics and materials. I know that’s something important here, as well. La Premier Ordre only uses the finest fabrics and accents available.”

The older woman hummed in contemplation.

“What do you hope to get out of a career here? It’s very difficult to advance within our label, you know.”

Rey sat up straight in her chair and licked her lips, weighing her words carefully in her head.

“I would get to experience working for one of the most elite lingerie houses in the world. But I think what’s more important is what you would get from hiring me. I am fiercely dedicated to my work. I am driven and passionate and above all, I hold myself to a higher standard than anyone else. I’m ready to work hard and do whatever is asked of me.”

A smile played at the corner of Phasma’s lips.

“You’re familiar with La Premier Ordre, then?”

She nodded confidently and launched into a passionate speech about the standards of the company, its history, and the beauty of their famous designs. It seemed to please the older woman.

“We appreciate loyalty here. If you’re taken on, you’ll be working under one of our lead designers. Like many artists, he can be…temperamental. I need to know you won’t run with your tail between your legs the moment he reprimands you for bringing him the wrong shade of blue ribbon.”

Rey beamed and informed her, “I care far too much about ribbon to make that kind of mistake but after working as a TA, I have no problem receiving criticism, even when it’s from someone…temperamental.”

“Speaking of which, I know you’re staying on at the university until December. Will you be able to complete your work here without your other job interfering?”

“I can make it work! It’s only two and a half months. My work at the university is part time and of course, I would prioritize my duties here. I value loyalty as well, ma’m.”

Rey felt her piercing blue eyes sizing her up as she clicked the top of a pen contemplatively under her thumb. 

“Many of the young people I’ve interviewed are driven and dedicated individuals. Some of them have a good deal more experience in the industry than you. To tell you the truth, I only agreed to this interview for Maz,” Phasma sighed, her lips twisting in amusement, watching the young girl across from her for any sign of dismay. She was slightly surprised and impressed when there was none.

“What’s different about you, Ms. Sanderson?” she concluded.

Rey’s eyes took on a faraway look only for a second before snapping back to meet the azure ones of her interviewer, completely self-assured.

“I’m a survivor. I’ll do what it takes to make it.”

The clicking of the pen stopped. Something flickered over Phasma’s face but was gone as soon as it came and was replaced with a practiced smile.

“Our workday begins at 9 a.m. The designer you’re working under arrives every morning at 7. You’ll need to be there tomorrow morning when he gets here.”

Rey sat forward in her chair, hands twitching nervously.

“I-I got the job?”

“It would seem so, Ms. Sanderson. Congratulations.”

-

Hux had just finished taking the beading off one of the sample bras for the second time after sewing it down wrong, ready to throw the damned thing in the fireplace when the phone on his work table rang. He seized it immediately to check the caller ID. Was it Rey?

He scowled when it was not but answered anyway and lifted the phone to place it between his shoulder and his ear.

“What is it?” he spat.

“Good evening to you, too,” Phasma purred. “I’m just calling to say I’ve finished the interviews and found someone. I’m sending you their resume now. She starts tomorrow. Do try not to frighten her away her first day on the job.”

“If she’s frightened away on her first day, she has no business working for this label,” he sneered in reply.

“You know, I really don’t think she will be.” And with that, Phasma hung up, leaving Hux to stare at his phone in something akin to bewilderment. He shook his head and tapped on the email notification when it popped up at the top of the screen. Only after he clicked on it did it register in his mind that the subject read “Rey’s resume”.

Hux’s heart stopped beating for far longer than should have been possible before he opened the email. It had to be another Rey, right? His eyes quickly scanned the attached resume. Rey Sanderson. Worked as a TA. Did her senior capstone project on the effect of art on textile design. It was Rey. _His_ Rey. He clenched his fist, nails biting into the meat of his palm. He would get her back.


	9. La Questions C'est Voulez-Vous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We now return to your regularly scheduled porn.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the chapter I fist envisioned when I got the idea for this fic. It was heavily influenced by some asmr vid I watched way back when I was in the planning stages of writing this but I can no longer find it. I had most of the bones of this chapter done and decided to flesh it out instead of sleeping.

Rey woke up at the crack of dawn. She and Finn had gone out to celebrate the night before but she made sure to be in bed at a reasonable hour so she would be on time to meet this apparently moody designer she would be assisting. She made herself a huge breakfast and dressed in her most “grown up professional” outfit: a white silk blouse and black tapered pants, paired with black pointed ballet flats. She would have worn something Hux had picked out but that brought up too many complicated feelings and she wasn’t going to let anything get her down today. If anything could be said for Rey, it was that she had an absolutely indomitable spirit. She pulled her hair back in a sleek bun, looking over herself in the mirror. Once she felt she looked like someone who was capable and confident, she grabbed her coat and was out the door.

Her commute was hectic, to say the least. She’d spent it dodging people with overfilled cups of coffee on the subway and narrowly making it onto the car before the doors closed, but thankfully, she arrived on time and without incident. When she stepped through the large glass doors to the building, she was surprised to see Phasma waiting for her, looking every bit as impeccably polished as the day before.

“Ms. Phasma! Good morning,” she smiled cheerfully. “I didn’t think you’d be here this early as well.”

Phasma nodded in greeting, and led Rey to the elevator. 

“I thought it best to be here to introduce you to the designer you’ll be working with,” she explained, pressing the number 4 to take them to the top floor of the building. 

The door opened and she gestured to a hallway on the right. The pair made their way down the hall until they reached a black, unmarked door. Phasma knocked firmly.

“Come in.”

Rey’s heart leapt into her throat. She knew that voice, that accent.

Phasma opened the door and walked in. A familiar pale figure clad in black stared back at her from behind a large desk. 

“Rey, this is one of our top designers here, Armitage Hux. Hux, this is your new assistant, Rey Sanderson.”

Rey’s world tilted on its axis. It was several moments before she became aware of a voice calling her name-

“Rey? Rey, don’t be shy, come in,” Phasma intoned, sounding irritated at having to tell the new hire to _move _. Her feet worked without her telling them to and she found herself standing in front of a deeply nervous looking Hux. Phasma looked between them curiously before turning in the doorway.__

__Mulling over the odd introduction, she announced, “I’ll leave you two to get better acquainted.”_ _

__The door closed with a click. Rey was the first to break the silence._ _

__“You’ve got to be fucking ki-”_ _

__“Language,” he cut her off, admonishing her as he took his seat behind the desk, “Let’s try to have a little professional decorum, Ms. Sanderson.”_ _

__She floundered._ _

__“Wh-what- Hux!”_ _

__“Sir,” he corrected, voice deep and heady, “You’re to call me sir here.”_ _

__Okay, that did things to her but she couldn’t worry about them now. She shook her head and didn’t think of him spanking her and making her call him _sir_. Or rather, a valiant attempt to avoid doing so was made. It was rather difficult when she knew what his dick felt like inside her._ _

__“Did you know?” she demanded. His face softened._ _

__“I didn’t. Not until Phasma told me last night.”_ _

__He had said it with such sincerity that she knew he was being honest._ _

__“And I assume you didn’t either?” he asked._ _

__“Of course not!” she protested. “You think I’d be here if I’d known?”_ _

__He winced and looked somewhere else that wasn’t her flushed face._ _

__“Rey, sit down,” he said, gesturing to one of the chairs across from him._ _

__“Are you crazy?” she scoffed. “I’m not staying. I appreciate the opportunity, but clearly this is a conflict of interest. This would never work out.”_ _

__She turned and made for the door, heart still pounding from surprise and adrenaline. She heard him stand from his office chair._ _

__“And how would that look, if you left us on your first day? You think that’d impress other employers?”_ _

__She looked at him incredulously._ _

__“Is that a threat?” she balked._ _

__His face fell._ _

__“What? No- I didn’t mean- I was trying to be rational.”_ _

__“Well, your rationality sounds awfully menacing,” she scoffed, grasping the doorknob in her hand._ _

__“Rey, wait. Please,” he pleaded. That made her stop. She turned slightly, still gripping the doorknob, ready to get out of there._ _

__“I never got to give these back to you,” he sighed. She noticed he was now holding something in his hand. It was the box of lingerie he’d given her, another red silk ribbon tied around it, and this time, a single red rose in the bow. A cheesy attempt at a romantic gesture, the kind she never received and was subsequently weak for._ _

__“Sit down, Rey,” he repeated, more quietly this time, more like a request. Cautiously, she turned and crossed the room again, slowly dropping into one of the chairs. He walked over to her and gently pushed the box into her hands. Nervously, she took it._ _

__He sat on the corner of the desk in front of her, looking wholly uncomfortable._ _

__“Rey, I- I told you before I don’t do relationships. I’m not good at this, Rey,” he tried to explain. “Before, in the hotel room,” he stopped to search for the words before continuing, “I didn’t say the right things. I want you to stay. Here. With me.”_ _

__It was not an apology. It was not a declaration of love. She licked her lips, trying to understand._ _

__“You want me to work here,” she reasoned._ _

__“Yes. If you want to. But I also want…I want for you to- to be _with_ me,” he babbled. “I want more. To spend time with you and be- be together.” His face had gone red and she almost felt bad, watching him struggle. She’d never seen him so inarticulate before. _ _

__“I’m, um, not good at _this_ either,” she confessed._ _

__He cupped her jaw in his hand and lines broke out on his forehead in concentration, hoping against hope he was saying the right things._ _

__“I can’t promise you…everything. But I would be good to you, Rey,” he avowed. “And if the time comes when you no longer want what I offer, I will do everything in my power to assure you will not regret what we’ve shared.”_ _

__She felt trapped in his gaze. He always looked serious but she’d never seen him look so genuine. This was hard for him, being vulnerable like this._ _

__“And the job?” she asked._ _

__“I know you’ll be excellent at it,” he said resolutely._ _

__“What if I don’t want it? I mean, if I don’t agree to have sex with you, I’m basically guaranteeing I won’t keep my position here,” she tested with a scoff._ _

__He schooled his expression into his well practiced impassive look._ _

__“Then I’ll get you another job.”_ _

__She hadn’t been expecting that._ _

__“What?” she said, unbelieving._ _

__“You’re familiar with Bazine Netal?”_ _

__“Sure,” she said, eyebrows knitting together in curiosity, “Her label is small but her designs are avant-garde.”_ _

__“She and I have…worked together. I called her this morning to ask if she had any positions available. You wouldn’t be working closely with a designer like you would here but it would still be an invaluable experience. All it would take is one phone call and I could have you employed with her today.”_ _

__Rey sucked in a breath, searching his face in disbelief._ _

__“You’d do that?”_ _

__Hux only nodded but she sensed he meant it. She swallowed, trying to absorb all the information that had just been thrown at her._ _

__“And what if I do work here? I mean…what if I accept?”_ _

__She watched his lips tighten and his eyes darken with lust and something exciting. He leaned over her, placing his large palms on the arms of the chair so she was caged in by him, forcing her to lean back. Her eyes were wide and doe-like as she stared up at his hungry gaze._ _

__“Then you’d be helping me with my work, personally. I’d keep you to myself. We’d work together every day. Intimately,” he crooned. Her eyes slid shut at the sound of his silken voice. She couldn’t stop her body from reacting if she wanted to._ _

__“I’ll give you ten seconds to think about it, Rey. If you decide to leave, I’ll make sure you get the job with Netal. But if you stay in this chair, Rey…you’re mine. Mine to direct. Mine to command.”_ _

__A shiver ran down her spine and she felt her breathing get heavy. He raised himself to his full height and started to circle the chair._ _

__“One…,” he began, the lull of his voice soothing to her ears as he stalked around the room behind her._ _

__Could she do this? What he was proposing, it was- well it was a relationship. A real one. Clearly, he was uncomfortable with actually saying, “Rey, will you be my girlfriend” but that was essentially what he was asking of her. What’s more, he’d said that even if she turned him down, he’d still get her a job. He’d counted to four._ _

__Her hands ghosted over the glossy black box on her lap. He was trying. Neither of them were relationship types but she couldn’t deny she wanted him. She wanted his kisses and his unforgiving hands. She wanted the feeling of being dominated by him again._ _

__“Seven,” he whispered behind her. She thought she could hear his voice quake slightly. It couldn’t last forever. _Everyone leaves_ , she reminded herself. Still, it was so, so tempting. He was on nine. She remained in her seat._ _

__“Ten,” he finished, exhaling deeply. “You’re still sitting, Rey. I hope you understand what that means.”_ _

__His hands gripped her shoulders from behind. She nodded her head once. She’d made her decision._ _

__“Good girl,” he purred, placing a chaste kiss against her cheek. Her chest filled with warmth. He stepped back around to his desk chair and sat, smoothing his tie._ _

__“Our infrastructure is different from the way other labels work. We’re very fast paced. I need you to anticipate my needs. Our October floor show is this Saturday and things will be hectic around here for awhile.”_ _

__The sudden way he picked up his business-like persona startled her from her erotic musings._ _

__“Uh- yes, of course,” she quickly replied._ _

__“I want you to understand that this position will be incredibly demanding. We’re prepared to pay you above the industry standard- did you speak to Phasma about that?”_ _

__She shook her head no, slightly dumbfounded._ _

__“Don’t worry about it. For now, I want you to acquaint yourself with your role here. Come here,” he gestured with his hand, calling her to him._ _

__She stood on shaking legs and placed the lingerie box in her chair before standing in front of him. He looked her up and down appraisingly, tongue darting over the seam of his lips. It didn’t feel real having her here in his office and he wanted her right next to him, where he could reach out and touch her if he so chose._ _

__“First off, your clothes. You look wonderful today,” he breathed, and she swore she could feel the warmth of his breath against her stomach through her thin silk shirt. Standing in front of him like this, the familiar smell of expensive tobacco tickled her nose and she realized it was making her wet; a Pavlovian response. She flushed and squirmed under his gaze. He continued._ _

__“But that’s not enough. I want you to look the part. We’ll be meeting with industry people often. La Premier Ordre has a standard to uphold. Everything you wear is a reflection of me and my aesthetic. Classical, elegant, and clean are what we strive for here.” His hands found her thighs and began stroking up them slowly. Her breath hitched in her throat._ _

__“Heels every day, without question,” he ordered her, “Skirts and dresses are preferable. I want to see these beautiful legs.”_ _

__She nodded, mind going blissfully numb at the feeling of his fingers dragging up and down her thighs and the drone of his commanding voice._ _

__“What perfume are you wearing?” he asked, bringing her wrist to his nose. She smelled just as she always did. Warm, like spices. She blinked at him and shook her head slightly in confusion._ _

__“I don’t- I don’t own any perfume. It’s just body scrub,” she replied. He tutted at her._ _

__“Designer perfume would be better for functions,” he informed her. He drew a bottle of Burberry cologne from his desk drawer._ _

__“You’ll wear mine today.”_ _

__Placing a hand on her hips, he made her lean against his desk and parted her thighs with his hand, causing her to gasp._ _

__“H-Hux, what-”_ _

__He shushed her before she could say anything._ _

__“ _Sir_. Say it.”_ _

__“Sir,” she sighed, giving into him. If she wasn’t wet before, she certainly was now. He opened the bottle and placed his finger against the opening, turning it over to let the rich smelling liquid coat it. Slowly, he dragged the perfume soaked finger along the inner seam of her pants on each thigh, making her moan low in her throat. The noise went straight to his dick._ _

__“I want you to smell like me,” he growled, “so you remember at all times whom it is you belong to.”_ _

__“Yes, sir,” she hummed, delighting in how his hands stroked her legs._ _

__“I want you to understand, Ms. Sanderson, that you will be punished or rewarded for your behavior here as I see fit.”_ _

__She bit her lip, nodding in agreement._ _

__“Say it, Ms. Sanderson. Say you understand,” he demanded, his breath coming out in pants now._ _

__“I understand, sir,” she moaned._ _

__Hux’s cock strained against his pants and if he wasn’t so sure he’d be going to hell, he would have thought he’d died and gone to heaven. She had accepted him. She wanted him. He could have run a marathon; he was so filled with adrenaline._ _

__“Good girl,” he murmured. He couldn’t believe she hadn’t fled from the room. He took her wrist and pulled her to him until she was straddling his lap. He gazed up at her in quiet awe._ _

__“Rey,” he whispered, lost in her eyes. He needed to tell her. “I’m-”_ _

__Her fingers pressed against his lips, quieting him._ _

__“I know.”_ _

___I’m sorry._ _ _

__Her hand moved down to his jaw and she stroked his cheek with her thumb. His arms were around her and somewhere in the back of her mind, she thought she’d never felt so safe. Her lips found his and they moved against one another gently. He wanted so badly to rip her pants off and take her on his desk but that wasn’t what she needed right now and he swore to himself he would do right by her. Instead, he let his hands run up and down her back soothingly, kissing her in a way he hoped conveyed everything he was feeling when his words couldn’t. He kissed every inch of her he could reach, lips wandering over her jaw and neck. She settled against his chest with her head in the crook of his shoulder and he let himself drown in the feeling of her weight on him. This time yesterday, he was sure he’d never see her again. _Will wonders never cease_ , he mused._ _

__They sat there for a long time, peppering each other with soft kisses until Rey was moaning quietly and grinding against his cock. His breath hitched and he held her arms to still her. “Rey, you don’t have to. This is a lot to take in; it’s alright if you need some time.”_ _

__She shook her head and kissed him deeply, nibbling his lower lip. He groaned in response, letting his hands wander down her back to cup her ass._ _

__“I know what I want,” she reassured him. “I want to cum, sir,” she begged between her kisses, “please.”_ _

__It was the way she’d asked, so pretty for him, that drove him over the edge. He lifted her onto his desk, pushing her down so he could pull off her pants and shoes._ _

__“Whatever you want, Rey,” he groaned against her neck, no longer able to keep up the pretense that he wasn’t aching to feel how wet she was. When he’d finally rid her of those damn tight pants, he pushed up her blouse to kiss all along her stomach, holding her down with one Burburry scented hand while the other went to her apex of her thighs. He groaned when his fingers were met with her slick._ _

__“You’re so wet for me, darling,” he praised her, “such a good girl.”_ _

__Rey basked in his praise, chest arching off the desk as she watched him kiss down her legs. His thumb found her clit and he took up his precise, methodical way of making her come undone. Seeing her writhe and moan on his desk was like a dream come true and he asked himself how he ever thought he could live without this goddess in his life. Even the tamest touches made him ache for her, as evidenced by his turgid length protesting its confinement. He brought her bare leg up to suck a bruise onto the sensitive spot behind her knee and she gasped loudly at the surprising intensity of it, making him chuckle._ _

__“You’ve got to be quiet for me, now, little one. I didn’t lock the door.”_ _

__That fact made her pussy clench and she whimpered with need. The thrill of almost getting caught had her shaking underneath him. Logically, she knew the worst possible thing that could happen on her first day of work aside from finding out she’d be working with her ex-sugar daddy was getting caught being fingered on the desk of said ex-sugar daddy (and current lover?) but he was rubbing her clit in a way that made her thoughts too fuzzy to focus on._ _

__Hux gently worked two fingers into her, only letting up his assault on her clit for a moment, and she threw her head back. Fuck, she was so happy she wasn’t going to be missing out on this after all._ _

__“Are you going to cum for me, darling?” he whispered to her when he felt her begin to flutter around his fingers._ _

__“Yes, sir,” she panted._ _

__“Who do you belong to?”_ _

__“You, sir- I’m yours,” she sobbed, scrunching her eyes shut and curling her toes. She was about to cum on his desk and the thought of that was driving her mad._ _

__“Sir!” came a voice from the hallway, accompanied by a knock on the door._ _

__They both stilled, Rey’s hand flying to cover her mouth. That one hadn’t come from her._ _

__“Sir, I have those promotional-”_ _

__“Go away, Mitaka!” Hux bellowed ferociously, starting to fuck Rey even harder with his hand. The sound of something being dropped and shoes scuffling away could be heard and it was too much and suddenly, Rey came, keening high in her throat over the fact they’d nearly been caught. Hux worked her though her orgasm, a smile parting his lips._ _

__“Did that excite you? What a naughty girl I have.” He drew his soaked fingers from her cunt but continued to rub against her clit when she held his hand there, bucking wildly and whimpering. A moment later, she was cumming again and her mouth parted in a silent gasp. He watched in wonder as he wrenched another orgasm from her and her arched back lowered to meet his desk again. When she stilled at last, he moved his hand from her sensitive bundle of nerves, kissing her stomach and hips until she started to sit up. He helped her into her pants and brought her back to his lap, sitting her atop his thighs instead of straddling them this time. He kissed her temple tenderly and whispered to her how good she had been and how beautiful she was while she came down from her high. She looked up at him through her dark lashes._ _

__“What about you?” she asked quietly. He shook his head in response._ _

__“Today was about you,” he murmured into her hair. Her heart swelled and she melted further into his embrace. Hux felt oddly complete, even though he himself hadn’t been physically satisfied. He had taken care of her instead of chasing his own pleasure and it was surprisingly gratifying._ _

__“Hux?” his small marvel chimed against his chest._ _

__“Hm?”_ _

__“Should I…do some work today?”_ _

__He snorted._ _

__“Just have Mitaka show you around,” he said, releasing her so she could stand. “There’s a lot to learn before you get started.”_ _

__He immediately missed the contact and pulled her back for one more kiss. Her legs quaked slightly as she ambled to the door._ _

__“And Rey?” he called before she could leave._ _

__“Yes, sir?” she smiled, stealing his breath away for the hundredth time since she’d walked into his office._ _

__“Wear your hair down.”_ _

__She laughed lightly and shrugged, shaking her head. He loved giving her orders._ _

__“Yes, sir.”_ _


	10. Shades of Strawberry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took awhile because I spent the weekend camping (by which I mean drinking unbelievable amounts of alcohol and singing raunchy songs in the woods with a bunch of deviants) but it's much longer than my usual chapters so enjoy!

“You’ve gotta be kidding me,” Finn said, taking a wine cooler from Rey’s hand. She had set her alarm to go off so she would be awake when he got home from work and as soon as he came through the door, she was there with a six pack and some things to get off her chest.

“That’s what I said,” she snorted. “Well, actually I said _fucking_ and he told me I was being unprofessional. Can you imagine?”

“So, obviously, that job’s a bust.”

Rey gave him a sheepish look.

“ _Rey,_ ” he gaped disbelievingly, “Oh, Rey. No. _No._ Tell me this man is not your boss now.”

“Technically, no, my boss is some guy named Mr. Snoke whom I’ve yet to meet,” she said quickly, taking a large gulp of her drink.

“Baby girl, _why_? Why would you do this to yourself?” he lamented.

“It’s a good job, Finn! They’re paying me way more than the average assistant! I’m where I’ve been trying to get to since we graduated.”

He mulled over her words, shaking his head. “What did he say when he saw you?”

She winced. “That’s the other thing I wanted to tell you. We, uh…I guess we’re back together?”

“What the hell, Rey?!” he sputtered.

“I know, I know,” she sighed, holding up her hands to calm her friend down.

“He dumped you!”

“Dumped is a harsh word,” she replied, rubbing the back of her neck, “and actually, I was the one who said I didn’t want to see him anymore. He just asked if that was the case. I mean, he was a total douche about the whole thing but…,” she trailed off, not sure where to go from there. She didn’t know how to tell the guy she saw as the brother she never had “but I want him to fuck my brains out”. 

Finn slumped into a chair at the kitchen table, barely able to process what she was telling him. “You can’t fuck your boss, Rey,” he insisted.

“Not my boss,” she reminded him. Finn just looked at her sadly. She couldn’t tell if it was disappointment or pity but either way, she hated it.

“He’s going to hurt you,” he said softly. Rey’s eyebrows drew together and she bit the inside of her cheek.

“I don’t think he will,” she told him truthfully, “I mean…are we going to last forever? No, of course not but I just- I want him, Finn. More than I’ve ever wanted anyone. We talked about it and we know neither of us is in this long term but I think that’s better, don’t you? We’re not going into this with any illusions.”

“I don’t like this, Rey. I’m here for you no matter what but I want it on the record that I am 100% against this idea,” he sighed, rubbing his face wearily.

“Hey,” she laughed, pulling him into a hug, “if he fucks it up this time, we can put sugar in his gas tank. I know where he parks his car.”

Finn chuckled at that. “Damn it, you know I love sabotage.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer. She gave him a reassuring squeeze. She would be alright. 

-

“Rey, I need-”

“The pantones, yes, sir,” she answered, handing Hux a file.

He took them from her gingerly. He was surprised at how quickly she had adapted to the fast-paced environment. He’d told her she would have to be able to anticipate his needs but he hadn’t expected her to pick up on them the way she did, like a fish to water. Briefly, he wondered if she just excelled at everything right off the bat.

There were currently four half naked waifish women standing in Hux’s workroom and Rey was holding pairs of bras and panties up to each for him to appraise. He held up a large paper with color swatches and looked from model to model.

“Put number one in the sheer lace,” he said.

Rey handed a high necked black lace romper to the model and asked, “Could you try this on for us, Katie?”

Rey knew the names of the models. Hux didn’t, despite having met with them the week before when he’d selected them. The model slipped off her robe and Rey helped her step into the garment. It was slightly loose over her ribs and Hux stepped in with his needle and thread to tailor it better to her body. He placed his hands on the girl’s hips and turned her so her back faced him, pulling a pin from the cushion on his wrist to hold the fabric in place. Rey was fascinated by his nimble fingers as they worked. It was hardly a wonder he was so good with them. She also learned he needed to wear glasses to work on the minute details of the garments and she was fully planning on teasing him about his age later. She’d forgiven him (mostly) but deep down, she’d always be a brat. When he finished, he stepped back and had the model turn, nodding his approval.

“That leaves the red for number four. Now, let’s see number three,” he said, gesturing to the third girl in the row. She stepped forward and handed her robe to Rey, turning so he could see the bra and panty set she wore. 

Hux hummed, “It’s good, but…”

“It’s incomplete,” Rey supplied.

He raised an eyebrow at her, slightly annoyed at her appraisal, although she was certainly correct.

“Hm. Come, Rey, it’s time for a field trip,” he announced, removing the pincushion from his wrist and striding to the door, leaving Rey to flounder between the models, helping them change and giving them their call times for their final fittings.

When she caught up with Hux, he’d put on his coat and was holding hers open for her to step into. He told Mitaka they were going to run an errand and then led her to the elevators.

Once they were inside, she turned to him and asked, “Where are we going?”

He graced her with a smile. “Somewhere you’ll like,” he hinted, and said nothing else on the matter.

-

When they stepped out of the taxi, they were standing in front of an unmarked building. She followed him inside and her eyes went wide at her surroundings. They were surrounded by racks holding bolts of silk and lace. Before she could say anything about it, they were greeted by a woman whose outfit could only be called “serious”.

“Bonjour, Monsieur Hux, how may I help you today?” she asked in a thick French accent.

“I’m looking for a lace piece I was shown here last week,” he told her, placing a hand on Rey’s lower back when she started to drift off toward the fabric.

“Excellent, please follow me,” the woman hummed. She led them into a room where beads, trims, and ribbon hung all over the walls. There was a large table in the middle of the room with delicate lace under glass. Rey began to circle the table, fascinated, and Hux smiled softly.

“This is where La Premier Ordre sources most of its materials,” he explained, “We hold a contract of exclusivity with them that ensures what we buy is reserved only for our use.”

“Don’t most suppliers do that for brands anyway as a courtesy?” she questioned.

“Mr. Snoke handles the business very carefully,” he replied. He looked over the table and frowned. 

“I’m not seeing the piece I’m looking for,” he muttered, eyebrows knitting together in exasperation.

“What did it look like?” the woman who showed them into the room asked.

“A large single piece of crochet lace appliqué, maybe two by three feet, black,” he described.

The woman took a large book from the table and flipped through it before coming to a photo at the back of the book and turning it to him.

“It was this piece?” she asked, showing him the photo. He nodded.

“I am sorry, the designer had already sold it,” she bemoaned apologetically.

“This piece?” he demanded, “This was here Thursday.”

“Oui, monsieur, and today is Tuesday,” she said patronizingly, closing the book and placing it back on the table before turning to walk out the room. “The designer can make another similar to it but that will take quite some time.”

“I need it before Saturday,” Hux snapped. The woman shrugged lightly.

“So sorry, monsieur Hux. I will give you time to look at what else we have to offer.” 

Hux’s face was taking on a red tinge as his fist clenched. Rey came up in front of him and shrugged her shoulders. 

“Merde,” she cursed. He laughed under his breath.

“Don’t be cheeky,” he told her, turning about the room, contemplating his next step. 

“You love when I’m cheeky,” Rey reminded him. He couldn’t argue with that. She picked up the book and turned to the page they had been looking at. 

“This is the piece you needed?” she asked, showing him the book. He nodded. She looked at it again and a puff of laughter left her lips. 

“Come on,” she said, putting the book down and heading for the door. He followed her after a moment of staring in confusion.

“Rey? Where are you going?”

“Somewhere you _won’t_ like!”

He sucked at his teeth- a disapproving noise.

_Cheeky._

-

She called them a cab and gave the driver the name of a street he didn’t recognize. When they arrived, he cursed low under his breath. They’re in Chinatown. Noisy, crowded Chinatown. Hux had lived in New York for almost two decades and was used to the hustle and bustle of the city but Chinatown was something else. Everything was more intense here, louder, more confined. Here, he couldn’t understand the signs or the language. He looked at Rey like he was a cat and she was coaxing him into a bathtub.

“Oh, come on, this is the best part of the city,” she insisted.

“I just don’t understand why we’re here.”

“Because I am a merciful goddess and I have chosen to save your ass,” she replied haughtily. Without any further explanation, she took his hand and led him down the crowded street. He narrowly missed bumping into an elderly woman who must have been shorter than five feet and she shouted, slapping his arm and shaking her cane at him. He bristled at the gall and Rey only laughed.

“Yeah, you redheaded giant, watch where you’re going,” she giggled. The tips of his ears burned. They came to a stop in front of a storefront with a sign he couldn’t read. In the window, bolts of extravagant silk and beautiful shoes and dresses were displayed under bright lights. She pulled him in and waved at an elderly man sweeping the floor. 

“Nǐ hǎo!”

The man straightened and waved, exclaiming cheerfully, “Aah, Rey! Nǐ hǎo! Nǐ dàile nǐ de nán péngyǒu ma?”

Rey just laughed and pulled Hux further along. His cheeks colored as he had a feeling whatever the man had said had been about him. 

“Did you actually understand that?” he asked incredulously.

“Mostly,” Rey laughed, answering truthfully. “I got the gist of it.”

“I didn’t know you could speak Chinese…”

“I don’t,” she said, “Not really. I just know a few words.”

They came to the back of the shop and took a staircase to the basement, which only served to confuse Hux even more but at this point, he was filled with such a deep curiosity, he had to let this play out. He could hear a familiar noise coming from the basement- a sewing machine? They were almost to the bottom when Rey turned and looked up at him, their height difference exaggerated by the stairs.

“I swear to God, Hux, if you do or say anything that could be misconstrued as rude, I’ll quit today and you’ll never see me again,” she deadpanned. He swallowed and nodded, knowing she meant it. When they came to the bottom of the stairs, they were greeted by the sight of a small old woman sitting at an even older sewing machine, surrounded by bolts of fabric and tables piled high with containers.

“Nǐ hǎo!” Rey smiled brightly, bowing her head as they came into the room.

“Nǐ hǎo!” the woman beamed back at Rey, her painted on eyebrows rising up. She had a mouth full of gold teeth. “Nǐ jīntiān kàn qǐlái hěn piàoliang!”

Rey blushed and waved her hands in front of her chest.

“You’ve been practicing Chinese?!” the elderly woman shouted shrilly, startling Hux, who stood behind Rey awkwardly.

“Shì, Wǒ liànxí,” Rey replied haltingly, stumbling over the pronunciation.

“Nǐ jīntiān zài zhǎo shénme ne?!” the woman asked slowly, still far too loud for the small space. Rey held her hands out, indicating a rectangular object. 

“Dà, um...hēisè huābiān?” she said, unsure of the words. The woman made a loud contemplative noise, standing from her machine and crossing on unsteady legs to a pile of bamboo boxes. Hux watched the exchange, not quite knowing what to say or do, a rare moment for him. He assumed his best option was to remain silent.

“Hēisè lěisī?” the woman asked, opening one of the boxes. Rey nodded her head. The woman handed her a large black scrap and when Rey held it up for Hux to see, he realized it was a stunning piece of intricate lace- just the size he needed and far more detailed than the one he had wanted earlier.

“You can use this for the show, right?” she asked. 

Hux fingered the material and asked quietly, “Is this one of a kind?”, worried that somehow if he spoke too loud, he would ruin something.

“Of course,” Rey replied. Hux nodded. She held out her hand to him and he stared at it, blinking. She stared back, eyebrows raised expectantly.

“You got cash?” 

“Oh, yes, I- I’ve the company credit card,” he said, pulling his wallet from his pants.

“No, no, Hux- cash. _Cash. _,” she sighed loudly, taking his wallet from him. She pulled out $100 and handed it to the smiling woman, who took the money with a slight bow and thanks and placed the lace in a bag for them.__

__Rey bowed her head in return with a big smile, “Xièxiè!” She elbowed Hux in the ribs softly._ _

__“Say thank you,” she whispered. He bowed his head as she had, albeit less gracefully._ _

__“Xièxiè,” he repeated. He felt like he was in the middle of a fever dream. They walked up the stairs together and back out to the lively, colorful street. She turned back to look at him when she realized he wasn’t following._ _

__“Rey,” he said, fixing her with an expression she couldn’t place, “You’re incredible.” He swallowed and then added in a barely audible whisper, “I don’t deserve you.”_ _

__She blinked at him for a moment before smiling. “I know. You’ll probably never make it up to me. But I figured I’d like watching you try.” He wasn’t sure if she was talking about the lace or their fight from before._ _

__“Starting now, actually,” she grinned, “I’m in the mood for dim sum.”_ _

__-_ _

__Back in Hux’s workspace, Rey watched him cut a robe from a large swath of black silk, fetching him things when he asked for them. It was late in the afternoon now and most of the people in the office were getting ready to leave except for the designers and, as always, Phasma. A comfortable quiet had fallen over the room and Rey quickly found she enjoyed watching Hux work, although at times, he could be neurotic. He spent twenty minutes staring between several lace trims before Rey selected one for him. He grumbled about needing the time to choose and she had to remind him that part of the reason she was hired in the first place was to keep him on schedule. He grimaced but said nothing in retort. Now with the lace in front of him on the table against the silk, he knew she’d made the right choice. Of course she had. It was foolish to doubt her. She really did excel at everything._ _

__He pinned the pieces of silk together and brought them to his sewing machine. Rey sat up on his work table to watch him. If she were anyone else, he would have shooed her off of it but he liked having her there. She was a balm on his nerves. His eyes flickered to her legs dangling over the edge of the table. She had dressed just as he’d ordered her to do the day before. Always such a good girl for him. When he’d finished most of the robe, he began tacking on the lace trim. Suddenly, her soft voice broke the silence._ _

__“Why lingerie?” she asked. He looked over to where she was sitting in her black dress, covered in red and white roses. It was professional yet sensual and still, somehow she managed to look every bit as sweet and young as always. He could probably put her in a black vinyl cat suit and she’d still look fresh faced and doe-eyed, he silently mused._ _

__“Hux?” she prompted, forcing him from thoughts of her stretched out over the table clad in glossy darkness._ _

__“Why lingerie?” he repeated._ _

__She nodded. “Instead of, I don’t know- evening gowns. Or menswear. Or anything else.”_ _

__He looked to the silk robe in his hand._ _

__“Actually,” he began, drawing in a deep breath, “I did design gowns for awhile, when I started.” He picked up a small pair of scissors, snipping off loose threads as he spoke. “It’s easy for someone to appreciate the aesthetics of something like a Christian Dior gown. Lingerie is less appreciated in the world of fashion, but that challenge is part of why I chose to pursue it. How did you feel when you wore that set I gave you?” The question gave her pause._ _

__“I felt…well, beautiful,” she murmured, pink blooming in her cheeks._ _

__“And you were,” he said, rising as he spoke, “you were beautiful for me. And for you. And no one else.” From his new position, he was taller than her once again and he stood so close she had to tilt her head back to look at him._ _

__“Gowns are meant to be admired by everyone. When lingerie is worn, it is for a much more intimate audience. It’s a delicate balance. Would you like me to show you what I mean?”_ _

__She nodded, licking at her slightly parted lips, pulse quickening._ _

__“Clothes off, Ms. Sanderson,” he instructed her, “I’m about to give you an important lesson on my design philosophy.”_ _

__She rapidly began to strip, pulling down the zipper of her dress until he stopped her with a tutting noise._ _

__“First off- what do we say?”_ _

__“Yes, sir,” she sighed breathily, sliding the zipper down the rest of the way and letting her dress fall to the floor. He stepped around her to lock the door to his workshop._ _

__“Good girl,” he smirked. When he turned, she was standing before him in her black heels and plain black underwear. She made a show out of removing them and he found himself bewitched, unable to stop himself from floating back to her, where he instinctively grasped her hips to bring her flush against him. He had plans for her but seeing her standing there like that in his workshop was too tempting and the desire to have her in his arms was impossible to ignore. He captured her lips, relishing the moment, and when she sighed, he took her lower lip between his and nipped at it affectionately._ _

__“You look lovely,” he breathed against her lips, “but we strive for excellence here, don’t we?”_ _

__“Yes, sir,” she mewled, head buzzing from the heat of his kiss. He knew he’d never get tired of hearing her say that. He crossed to a tall, sleek set of drawers and pulled one open to reveal rows and rows of bras and panties, tagged with yellow slips of paper. Rey watched with rapt attention as he selected one from the back and gently removed its identification tag. It was a deep, vibrant red and all lace._ _

__“This is one of the first sets I designed,” he told her somewhat off-handedly. Rey quietly marveled at the intricacy of the lace and femininity of the cut. It had a softer feel than the designs she had seen thus far from him. He helped her step into the panties and she shivered at the sensation of the lace being dragged up her legs, all of her nerve endings standing at attention. He slipped the straps of the lacy bralette up her arms. Instead of turning her to secure the straps, he merely brought her closer and circled his hands around her back. She had never wondered if Armitage Hux could put on a bra without looking but it didn’t surprise her that he could._ _

__“Lean forward a little,” he murmured, and he placed his hands inside the bralette to cup her soft mounds, making her gasp softly. He gently pulled them up, situating them inside the small lace triangles before letting his hands come to the front to tie the satin ribbon that went all the way around her ribcage into a perfect bow. It was slightly loose on her but he adjusted the straps and then it felt perfect._ _

__“There.” His voice came out soft and low. He brought her over to stand in front of a floor length mirror. Her breath hitched when she saw herself. She looked like she could have been one of the models that was standing just there earlier that day. Rey had always been confident in her looks but this was a side of herself she had never seen before; a beauty that was new to her. She traced her finger over the hem of the panties, feeling the lace. Hux watched her like a fox watches a rabbit, with hungry, cunning eyes. He cleared his throat softly._ _

__“Throughout history,” he began, “we have sought out beauty. It is as intrinsic to the human experience as anything.” She heard him opening and closing a drawer. When he came into her line of sight, he was holding a coiled pale pink rope. Her eyes widened upon seeing it and she practically vibrated with anticipation, fidgeting where she stood in front of the mirror._ _

__“Lingerie is a different type of beauty,” Hux continued, unfurling the soft nylon rope. “Its beauty is about balance.” He swung the rope in his hand as if to prove a point and Rey's eyes followed it. He brought her hands in front of her and expertly wound the rope around her shoulders, down to her torso, and finally, over her arms, bringing her wrists together. Before he completed his knot, he looked up to her eyes, gauging her reaction. Her eyes remained transfixed on the soft pink rope curling up and down her arms in striking patterns. He finished the knot with practiced precision and pushed two fingers under it, wriggling them and testing its tightness._ _

__“Flex your hands for me, darling” he whispered. She did as she was told, rolling her wrists and clenching her fists for him easily. If she struggled against the knot, the nylon wouldn’t hold long._ _

__“Rey,” he breathed, his voice demanding her attention, causing her eyes to snap up to his. “Is it too much?” Suddenly, she realized there was a slight tremor in her legs. She could feel the lace in the crotch of those red panties rapidly becoming soaked and her breathing was erratic. Was it too much? Yes. And she would die if he dare stopped now. She shook her head, finding it too demanding of a task to form words just then. He commenced his teachings, stepping behind her and placing a gentle kiss on her freckled cheek._ _

__“Balance is key in designing lingerie,” he spoke against her skin, lips brushing against her and humming with every syllable. “If the aesthetics of a piece disrupt its function, then it can never be worn and appreciated the way it’s meant. Understand?”_ _

__She answered with the only thing she could say at the moment, voice still shaking slightly. “Yes, sir.”_ _

__“There must be balance in everything, Rey. Nothing I design is without it. Not overworked to the point of being gaudy. Certainly not plain Jane. I’ll show you what I mean. Come here.”_ _

__She turned and followed him the few feet across the room to a nearby leather sofa. With a hand on her back, he gently pushed her down so that she was bent over the armrest. His eyes roved over her red clad bottom, up to where her chestnut hair fell over her shoulders. She was breathtaking. He committed the image to memory as he palmed himself through his pants, adjusting to give himself some much needed comfort. He briefly wondered if she knew how much she affected him and stepped away to retrieve another necessary teaching tool from under his work bench._ _

__When he stood in front of her, he revealed what he’d collected, holding it out for her to admire. She thought it looked somewhat like a ping pong paddle or perhaps a hand mirror without the glass. It was smooth, ashy colored wood, engraved with a blooming peony stained a delicate coral and ribbons that ran crisscrossed down the handle._ _

__“The beauty of lingerie is something that it is hidden, yet we know it’s there. The balance between something that is beautiful but not meant to be seen. Lingerie represents our hidden thoughts. Our private desires. This is why it’s imperative to keep the balance.”_ _

__Rey rocked against the sofa, feeling pent up from all his teasing and trying to get some relief by pressing her clit against the smooth, cold material. Hux chuckled, moving to stand behind her. He massaged her ass cheek with his hand, warm against her cool skin, and pulled her supple flesh aside. She moaned when she felt the edge of the paddle rub between her folds, nudging her sensitive bundle of nerves. The lace was almost too rough on her clit but he’d teased her so much that she was desperate for contact._ _

__Hearing her moan for him made him want to rut her right there like a beast but patience had always been one of the few virtues he could claim. “So, tell me, Rey- can you think of an example of balance?”_ _

__She nearly screamed in frustration. He was making her think? Now? When she was aching for him to fuck her brains out? She whined petulantly and he made a scolding sound._ _

__“You’re much too clever to get away with that kind of behavior, pet,” he sighed and just as she was about to mouth off to him, he brought the paddle down swiftly against her bottom, causing her to gasp loudly instead._ _

__“Think again, little girl, and don’t you dare sass me. An example of _balance_." _ _

__

__

___She floundered, whining high in her throat, trying to think through the pleasurable haze he’d inflicted upon her. Her ass cheek felt warm and blood quickly rose to the surface of her skin to color it rosy red. When she took too long to answer, she felt the paddle descend on her other cheek, causing her to cry out._ _ _

___“P-pain!” she nearly shouted, forgetting they were at work and there still might be a few people around, “And- and pleasure…”_ _ _

___Hux smiled wickedly and massaged her sore bottom. “Good girl. Do you want me to stop now that you understand?”_ _ _

___She quickly shook her head. “N-no! Please,” she whimpered._ _ _

___“Please _what_ , Ms. Sanderson?”_ _ _

___“Please show me more,” she moaned, shifting her weight so that her bottom wiggled appetizingly for him. He was sure it wasn’t a calculated move because Rey wasn’t the type but if it had been, it would have done its job._ _ _

___“Four more, then,” he groaned low in his throat, unable to hide how aroused she was making him. The next four hits fell in rapid succession, causing tears to prick at the corner of Rey’s eyes, though her arousal had begun to drip down the leather armrest of the sofa. The lace of the panties, the sting of the paddle- it all had her skin over-sensitized and she whined loudly, rubbing her thighs together, searching for release._ _ _

___“What do you want, Rey?” Hux breathed into her ear, bent over her smaller form._ _ _

___“Fuck me, please,” she begged, and his chest felt tight and it was suddenly too much for him. He couldn’t even find it in him to punish her for not calling him sir._ _ _

___He pulled her panties down and rubbed her clit with two fingers, finally giving her the relief she craved. She could have cum for him right there- the restraints, the lingering feeling of the paddle- it was an ecstasy she had never known. When he had her moaning and shaking, he abruptly pushed two fingers into her and she sobbed from the sudden fullness, pushing back against him._ _ _

___“You’re absolutely drenched, Rey,” he growled, his leaking cock throbbing in his pants._ _ _

___She moaned and nodded, “’M always wet for you, sir.”_ _ _

___He groaned. She was going to kill him with that sweet voice of hers telling him lewd things like that. He needed her mouth _now_. He practically ripped his vest off, before deciding to just focus on his pants, kicking them away with his shoes. He felt immensely grateful that his lover was facing away and couldn’t see the uncharacteristically graceless display. Taking her gently by the arm, he guided her to kneel between his legs as he sat on the couch. She took his cock in her mouth hungrily without being told and he felt his legs turn to jello. No one had ever sucked his cock like Rey did. In the back of his mind, he reminded himself that she excelled at everything. How did she fit it all in there? _ _ _

___“God, Rey, you suck me so good, sweetheart,” he panted. She moaned at the praise and the vibrations buzzed around him, making his mind go blank. His hips thrust involuntarily and she stilled, letting him fuck her throat. He would have cum right then in her mouth and thoroughly enjoyed watching her swallow it but it had been too long since he’d felt her pussy around him and he wanted that so much more._ _ _

___From one heartbeat to the next, he had her off her knees and was untying the rope around her arms and torso. She whined at the loss of pressure and he huffed a laugh, kissing her arms and rubbing his hands over them, assuring her that next time she could say tied up longer. He pulled her onto his lap on the couch, the only comfortable position where he could look into her eyes. She was panting, lips still slick from sucking his cock and he groaned at the sight of his girl, debauched and needy for him. Their lips met in a frantic clacking of teeth and tongue and Rey’s hands scrambled to loosen his tie and unbutton his shirt. She slid her soaking lips against his cock, moaning and writhing atop him whenever his head brushed her clit._ _ _

___“Eager little thing,” he panted, rocking against her. She moaned her agreement. Her hands explored the expanse of his solid chest and she tore her mouth away from his to admire the sight he made. She’d always thought him devastatingly handsome but for some reason, she felt like she was seeing him anew. Maybe it was because this would be the first time they’d really have sex after their, well- miscommunication. Or maybe because it was the first time since he’d told her he wanted to be with her. That he wanted her in his life. She stroked one of his high cheekbones with her thumb. He had the most beautiful skin, she realized. Pallid but colored shades of red and pink and blush, both from nearly imperceptible freckles and brought on by their passionate activities. He was the color of peaches and cream and Valentines and English roses. What they had together might not be permanent but she would always remember this. This orderly man who came into her life and brought both chaos and serenity, all wrapped in red. She kissed him with everything she had and his hands traveled every inch of her body, mapping the entirety of her, two eager cartographers who’d discovered the promised land was made of tanned skin and toned muscle._ _ _

___Knowing she was wet enough, she positioned herself over him and slowly sank down, rocking up and down inch by inch, feeling wonderfully stretched. When the head of his cock slipped into her, he groaned and bit into her shoulder, concentrating all his energy on not forcing her down the rest of the way until she was comfortable. He whispered praise and stroked the back of her head as she lowered herself. When at last, he was fully hilted inside her, they moaned in tandem, faces pressed to one another’s necks. Hux’s hands came up to grasp her hips, fingers sinking into soft flesh as he began to bounce her on his cock. She leaned back and he bent forward to lay kisses against her sternum._ _ _

___“Rey- fuck- you’re so tight for me, darling, so wet,” he panted into her chest. She reached behind her and unclasped the bralette, sending it to join her panties on the floor and he moaned appreciatively, all too happy to watch her perfect tits bounce as he began fucking her harder. He palmed them roughly, assaulting her neck with open mouthed kisses. She sang him a song comprised of moans and gasps and needy cries of “more” and “harder” and he rewarded her by bringing his hand down between her legs and rubbing her clit, causing her to clench around him. He watched where his cock disappeared into her beautiful pink pussy and groaned, slamming up into her harder, his hips stuttering. She fell against him, panting and gasping, feeling her orgasm just beyond her reach._ _ _

___“I’m gonna cum, sir- I- please, let me cum for you,” she begged him. Hux snapped and started fucking her at a speed she couldn’t keep up with. He brought one arm around her tiny waist to support her while he fucked up into her brutally, his other hand still working her clit. He felt his balls tighten and knew he wouldn’t last much longer._ _ _

___“Cum for me, darling, that’s an order,” he growled into her ear. “Want you to cum on my cock.”_ _ _

___That was all it took, and Rey buried her head against Hux’s neck to muffle her cry of pleasure as her cunt clenched around him, pulling him in and bearing down. He cursed low and pumped her once, then twice, and finally, he came inside her, her cunt milking every drop of cum he could give. Her body went slack against his and he soothed her with gentle kisses on her shoulder, crossing his arms over her bare back and encircling her completely._ _ _

___“I knew you’d be an excellent student, darling,” he murmured softly against her skin. She smiled and nestled in even closer._ _ _


	11. Lovers Live A Little Longer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one took a bit longer because I've also been working on a one shot for the 2018 Reylux Spring Swap! So if you're into Rey/Kylo/Hux content, be on the lookout for that come May!

When they finally separated, Hux laid Rey down gently on the sofa, covering her with his coat. He left her side only to fetch a bottle of water from his office, which he had her drink slowly. He sat beside her and rubbed at her arms and back where the ropes had been wound around her body. 

“Are you alright?” he murmured to her softly. She nodded and made a pleased sound, giving him a small smile. 

“We should talk,” he breathed, still gently massaging her arms. Rey stilled under his hands. Those words were never good. She felt panic rise in her like bile in her throat.

“I’ve let myself get carried away now more than once and I wanted to apologize,” he said, only furthering to stoke Rey’s anxieties. “We never agreed to not use condoms and I didn’t ask if it was alright,” he continued. Her brows knit in confusion but she also cautiously allowed herself to feel relief.

“I’m on birth control, though. And we’re both clean,” she said, thinking back to how he’d emailed her his STI test results after their first meeting like some kind of memo he was forwarding to an employee. He cleared his throat some and when she looked up, his cheeks seemed a little pink.

“I just wanted to make sure you’re alright with…with being fluid-bonded,” he said in a near whisper before adding, “I’m not having sex with anyone else.”

“Neither am I,” she whispered back, staring up at him in her doe-eyed way. _Fluid-bonded_. The phrase excited her and she bit her lip, turning to grin into the sofa. His shoulders relaxed a bit, releasing tension he hadn’t been aware of.

“Good,” he nodded. He had found himself loathing the idea of not being able to cum inside her now that he’d had it. It was something primal, almost. A way to mark her as his. Warmth bloomed in his chest at the thought and he stroked her soft hair. He would keep her for as long as she would allow.

-

**Friday, October 27th**  
**24 Hours Until The Floor Show**

“The lighting is too harsh,” Hux seethed, sneering at a woman holding a clipboard who looked one hundred percent done. The interior of the luxurious La Premier Order 5th Avenue boutique had been transformed into a runway space and people in various uniforms were darting around, setting up chairs and final touches. A line of models stood on the stage, looking between the fiery man clutching a silk robe angrily and the weary production designer trying to do her job. 

“Mr. Snoke approved this set design,” she explained in a clipped tone.

“Mr. Snoke-” Hux shouted before lowering his voice, trying to be conscious of who might be listening, “Mr. Snoke is not a designer. He does not understand that the backlighting of this set will affect how the lingerie looks. Surely something can be done about this hideous science fiction nightmare scene.”

The sound of a gentle “ahem” from behind them caused them to turn their attention to Rey, who smiled nervously. “I think what Mr. Hux means is we’re trying to think of ways to make the mood a little more intimate and we were hoping you could collaborate with us.” She took the other woman by the arm in a friendly way and walked up the side of the runway with her, gesturing towards the imposing black set pieces on either side of the stage. 

“We have some cherry colored chiffon in our store room at the office. What if we hang it from the top there in swags? That should soften the light while maintaining the integrity of the design. We could also have some flowers brought in for the front of the stage here to make it more feminine without detracting from the sexuality of the collection. I can have Mitaka call around to some local florists. Roses would be great and they’re in season so they should be readily available. But what do you think?” she said looking at the set with a concerned expression.

The woman looked surprised for a moment before nodding enthusiastically. “Yes! Yes, that’s much more in line with what I wanted originally but I was told to keep it minimalistic.”

“Is that alright, Mr. Hux?” Rey asked, turning to face him once more. Hux blinked back at her unintelligently before agreeing.

“Yes, Ms. Sanderson, that should work fine.”

“Then I’ll text Mitaka to get started on it right away,” she smiled, taking her phone from her pocket. 

Hux watched her as she tapped on her phone, completely fascinated. Rey was a problem solver and incredibly resourceful. She had been doing this all day; putting out fires for him. It started early that morning when the sound system stopped working and no one could figure out why. She climbed under it with a pair of tweezers and electrical tape and had it running in no time. Then there was a debacle with the hair and makeup people over a misunderstanding concerning the schedules she smoothed over for him and then just an hour ago, a model threatened to leave because Hux told her she was being too loud backstage. It didn’t help the situation that he said her voice sounded like “a sickly cat”. That one called upon more diplomatic skills than Rey knew she possessed but in the end they were able to appease the girl and get everything going again. Hux was great at ordering people around but he didn’t always do it in a way that made people root for him. Rey, however, was a natural charmer.

Just then, a boy in a green uniform appeared at Rey’s side, handing her a to-go cup. She thanked him, giving him a few dollars before turning to Hux and holding the cup out to him.

“Your 4 o’clock tea,” she explained, “No milk or sugar, extra strong.”

He took the tea gingerly, still slightly feeling perplexed. The girl was an absolute mystery. How could this efficient dynamo be the same person who sat on his couch in a t-shirt and underwear watching children’s films with Cheeto stained fingers?

“Okay,” she said with a determined grin, “next on the schedule is looking over the accessories table. Shall we?” She crossed another item off the list on her phone and he murmured his agreement, trailing after her as she marched backstage to the table covered in garters, jewelry, and shoes.

-

**19 Hours Until The Floor Show**

Hux sat at his work table, glasses sliding down his nose as he attempted for the third time to thread his needle, fumbling in a way that was highly uncharacteristic for him. He shut his tired eyes and forced his hands to stop trembling. Was he really getting that old? He growled in frustration, lips thinning into a tight line. A moment later, he was startled when a soft hand wrapped around his own and took the needle from him. Rey shook her head, smiling softly, and threaded the needle with ease.

“You’re tired,” she told him, “You need to get some rest.”

“I’ll rest when I’m dead,” he grumbled, taking the needle back from her and lifting the delicate pair of lace panties from his table to finish sewing their trim. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she took it out to look at the screen.

“Be right back,” she said, sliding off her chair. He barely heard her, a picture of focus, bent over his work. It was only after the room went quiet that he realized she wasn’t there, causing him to look up and search for her. He felt a bit light headed and had a migraine. The silence was strange after he’d gotten used to the sound of her heels clacking against the dark hardwood and the annoyingly endearing little noises she made as she worked. He wondered where she’d gone and was getting ready to get up to go find her and demand she come back, get to work and make her infernal noises again. Before he got very far, she appeared again, backing into the room and propping open the door with her heel. She was holding a plastic bag in one hand and a tray with two drinks in the other. 

“What’s this?” he asked. She placed the bag on the table, clearing away papers and scraps of fabric and then took out its contents, setting a to-go box in front of him and another in front of her own chair.

“You like sushi, right?” she said, handing him his drink.

She had remembered. The tips of his ears colored.

“How can you eat at a time like this?” he asked, ignoring her question, although he took the drink from her all the same, hoping it wasn’t some sugary soda. He took a sip experimentally. It was cucumber water. _How does she do that?_

Rey looked at him with an expression of genuine concern. “How can you _not_?” she balked, “You haven’t eaten anything in eight hours, Hux. How are you not dying right now?” She took the chopsticks from the bag and broke them apart, placing them on the box in front of him.

“Eat,” she insisted before tucking into her own meal. Slowly, he took the chopsticks in his hand and removed the plastic lid from the container.

“Thank you,” he said softly.

-

**16 Hours Until The Floor Show**

The door to Hux’s office creaked open and they both looked up from the seating chart they were working on to see Phasma, already bundled up in her coat and scarf. 

“I’m heading to the boutique for one more tech rehearsal and to make sure everything is in place. With any luck, I’ll be able to go home and get a few hours of sleep. You two try to get in a nap, if you can. We’ve got a big day tomorrow.”

“Thank you for all you hard work,” Rey smiled. Hux only nodded gratefully to her from where he sat across from Rey. He knew none of them would be getting much sleep that night. It was always that way before a show. The door clicked shut again and they listened to the sound of Phasma’s Italian leather shoes padding down the hallway. Hux’s tired eyes drifted to where Rey was perched on a sleek leather loveseat, staring at the seating chart on the coffee table in front of them. She had long ago kicked off her heels and tied up her hair in a ponytail, insisting there was no need to be sleep deprived and uncomfortable before divesting him of his coat and tie. He had to admit, sitting there with his shirt sleeves rolled up and his tie gone that he was much more comfortable. Exhaustion plagued him but seeing her work so hard brought a hint of a smile to his lips. Normally the night before a show, he’d be running around shouting at Mitaka but he felt oddly calm. Well, as calm as he could be under the circumstances. Somehow, this girl he’d assumed could only leave disorder in her wake had made everything…serene. She looked up at him with a tired but cheerful smile and suddenly she was much too far away and he was rising to join her on the love seat. He pulled her into his arms and she made no arguments, all too happy to take a cuddle break. He was warm and solid and truth be told, she loved being held by him. She felt small and safe in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and nestled against her, inhaling that scent that was so uniquely Rey.

“Thank you,” he murmured into her hair, “for everything you did today.”

She shrugged bashfully. “It’s just my job,” she whispered back. 

“Ordering me sushi is not part of your job description,” he pointed out.

“Yeah, well,” she laughed, “What can I say? I really like my work environment.”

He smirked against her forehead. “Maybe a little employee appreciation is in order.”

Rey was all of a sudden _very_ much awake. She looked up at him from beneath her dark lashes. “What did you have in mind, sir?” she hummed.

He brought a hand up to cup her jaw, tilting her head back. When his lips met hers, they were sweet and soft and giving. 

“Clothes off, Ms. Sanderson,” he breathed into her mouth, nipping at her bottom lip. Her eyes flickered to the large glass doors in his office that lead to the balcony where he smoked on his rare breaks. 

“But- the windows…,” she protested. He chuckled and stood, walking over to the wall where the light switch was and flicking it off. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust but the city lights painted the room in a cool glow. She stood and reached behind her to unzip her dress and let it fall around her ankles, stepping out of it and towards him. He hummed in appreciation of her new selection of lingerie, one of the perks of working for their label. 

His long legs covered the distance between them quickly and then she was in his arms again and he was kissing her with renewed fervor. All the worries and strife of their busy work day was gone and the universe was reduced to the feeling of his hands on her skin and her arms around his neck. 

“You don’t know how many times I’ve wanted to bend you over and pump you full of my cum today,” he growled, taking the round globes of her ass in his large hands and kneading them roughly. She gasped, rocking forward against the now prominent bulge in his pants. He trailed hungry, open mouthed kisses down the side of her neck and she mewled helplessly.

“Want everyone to know you’re mine,” he panted hotly against her shoulder before sucking a harsh bruise there. His hands wandered into the band of her panties and shoved them down, fingers digging into her pliant flesh. She wriggled out of them all the way, eager for him to touch her. He walked her back until her skin met the cold glass of the door and she gasped loudly. He bent over to push the cups of her bra out of his way before taking the peak of one of her perky breasts into his hot, waiting mouth and sucked hard. His searching fingers found her throbbing clit and circled it just right, bringing her to the edge in that practiced way of his.

“Such perfect tits,” he groaned, releasing her nipple with a wet pop and taking the other one between his teeth to tease it lightly. Overwhelmed by the sensation, her hands flew to the back of his head where they buried themselves in his hair. His fingers dipped into her wetness and dragged it around her clit as he continued to suckle, his cock almost painfully hard now. She bucked against his hand, needing to be filled and moaning wantonly. Right on cue, he slipped two fingers into her slick entrance and worked them against her sensitive wall, knowing just the spot to stroke. He slowly lowered to his knees before her and with his free hand, spread her legs apart, still pumping her at a steady pace and brushing his thumb over her clit in a heavenly flicking motion. 

“Fuck, Rey, look at how wet you are,” he murmured, watching his fingers fuck her, scissoring them apart and curling them against that special spot inside her. She nodded eagerly, making little noises of agreement and pleasure. His hand played her like an instrument he’d mastered, flicking her clit just right, and she felt _so_ ready to cum for him. He leaned forward and pressed his lips against her clit with the exact right amount of pressure and she gasped, legs shaking. Something about seeing him kiss her clit like that- such an innocent gesture but so full of emotion and still so filthy- made her orgasm rip through her and she bucked and shook against his hand, gripping his hair tight and gasping loudly.

Hux grinned up and her blissful expression, kissing his way up to her hips and murmuring praise as he slowly withdrew his fingers, sucking them clean. It was very much worth it, he decided, upon hearing her choked whimper as he made eye contact with her, cum soaked fingers between his lips. Placing his hands on her hips, he turned her to face the glass and stood, finally freeing his leaking cock and rubbing it against the cleft of her ass. With her tits pressed to the cold glass of the door, she was suddenly aware of the fact that they were not very high up. Despite the darkness, anyone who looked their way from one of the nearby buildings would see her getting fucked by Armitage Hux. 

“Hux- people can see,” she whispered. She pushed back from the glass but his hands held her firmly in place by her hips before she could move away. She saw his reflection in the glass, how his face was flushed and his eyes shone darkly.

“Good,” he growled into her ear, “Let them. I want them to see you cum on my cock.” The idea made her either want to cover up and run or spread her legs further and let him fuck her for the world to see; she wasn’t sure which. Then she felt the head of his cock run along her sopping folds and the latter won easily.

“Tell me what you want,” he panted. He would stop if that was what she wanted but he _really_ hoped she’d let him do this.

“Please fuck me,” she whimpered, cheek pressed against the glass. It was all he needed. He pushed into her all at once, cursing under his breath at how tight and wet she was around him before pulling back and thrusting forward again quickly, filling her to the brim.

“Oh, _God_ ,” she moaned, relishing the way she stretched to fit him. The heat of his body bent over her and the cold of the glass against her face and chest was a heady combination and had her thrusting back to take his cock with every push of his hips. Just when she thought she couldn’t take anymore, she felt the familiar sting of his hand on her ass, making her pussy clench around him tightly. She let out a throaty moan and her eyes flickered shut in bliss.

“Your ass looks so good like this, darling,” he groaned, eyes trained on the place where his cock slid into her, her bottom taking on a faint pink color. How he loved seeing the results of his hands on her body. He smacked her again, delighting in her moans of pleasure and the way she would grip his cock every time he brought his hand down on her pert, jiggling backside.

“Please- sir,” she panted, her legs now trembling, “wanna cum for you.” His cock twitched inside her upon hearing her lewd words. He swallowed thickly, working his jaw.

“You beg so pretty, little one. My naughty girl wants to cum?” he ground out between clenched teeth. She was so wet now, every time his hips slapped against her ass, he was rewarded with a wet squelching noise. Pleas left her throat in whimpers and sobs as he slammed into her roughly from behind. He wound a hand over her hip down to her pussy and began to circle her clit quickly, giving her just what she needed. His mouth found the juncture between her neck and shoulder again and he bit and licked at her skin, savoring her taste. She cursed under her breath at the combined sensations and he chuckled lightly.

“Dirty girl,” he both admonished and praised. His other hand trailed up her side until it was around her neck. He squeezed gently and panted against her skin, “Does that feel good?” not wanting to hurt her or cause her alarm. When she nodded and moaned enthusiastically, he tightened his grip slightly, just on the sides of her airway, and resumed his oral worship of the constellation of freckles her shoulder and upper back displayed. He pounded into her relentlessly and felt his own orgasm rapidly approaching. 

“Cum for me, good girl, show me you’re mine,” he groaned into her ear, working her clit feverishly. He straightened up a bit and the shift in position had his cock head pressing right against that sensitive bit of wall inside her. He hit it over and over again until he felt her squeeze his cock and he knew she was cumming for him. He released her throat and a rush of oxygen filled her lungs, sending her over the edge. Her eyes clenched shut and she cried out as she gushed around him. “There we are,” he whispered soothingly, telling her what a good girl she was, a revenant chant. Her cunt convulsed around him, pulling him in deep with every fluttering of her muscles and he gave her a few more heavy thrusts until he came inside her, filling her with his seed. He groaned deeply and his whole body shuddered. He knew he would never tire of that heavenly feeling as their mixed spend dripped out of her from around his member. After a moment, he pulled out and they crumpled to the floor together. He wrapped her in a warm embrace and tucked himself back in his pants, kissing her cheek. Her burst of energy was gone now and she was struggling to sit up and not just slump against his chest. 

“We should get some sleep,” he murmured, brushing her hair back from her face. She nodded, eyelids heavy. When she was able to stand again, he helped her up and back into her dress. He then grabbed two bottles of water from his cooler and ushered her into the work room where he had her lie down on the leather sofa. She took a long drink from the bottle of water he gave her and blinked up at him blearily. She wanted to ask where he would sleep but her question was answered when he dragged one of the plush, wing backed chairs from his office by her side. He dropped a robe from one of the racks over her and before he could sit, she took her hand in his. For some reason, without her explicitly telling him to, he bent down and gave her a kiss. She squeezed his hand before releasing it and smiled up at him sleepily. The corner of his lip turned up in response and he plopped down into the chair, kicking off his shoes and pulling his coat over his chest.

“Good night, Hux,” she sighed, nuzzling into one of the sofa’s matching leather throw pillows. In the dark quiet of the room, his eyes roved over her form, curled on the sofa where he normally slept on the night before a show. Those words and the sight of her there made him feel oddly warm and he closed his eyes, sleep wrapping around him like a thick blanket.

“Good night, Rey,” he whispered.

**15 Hours Until The Floor Show**


	12. Don't Go Sharing Your Devotion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is no smut in this chapter. I'm as disappointed as you are.

**12 Hours Until The Floor Show**

Hux awoke with a crick in his neck. He was really getting too old to be sleeping in chairs. He stood, rolling the strained muscles to try to release some of the tension and searched for his phone to check the time. It was four in the morning. His eyes landed on Rey’s still sleeping form and he decided to let her sleep a little longer. He could finish the seating chart himself. There was really very little left to do. He padded on socked feet to his office and sat down in front of the large scroll of paper where it lay forgotten. Almost all the seats were covered except a few in the front rows. The best seats in the house were reserved for industry people and journalists. He deliberated for a long while before writing some of the remaining names on little blue sticky notes and attaching them to their assigned seats. All that was left now were the two remaining seats, front row, center, on the left. He knew exactly who he’d place there- the people from La Premier Ordre’s top competitor, House Organa. They always sent a few people to each other’s events. It was as much an imitation of sportsmanship as a chance to size up the competition. He stretched his aching neck again and walked to his office closet where he kept spare suits for these occasions, pausing as a thought came to him. He took out his phone and texted Mitaka.

**Mitaka,**

**In addition to my usual morning order, I need another venti Earl Grey with milk and sugar and something to eat. Anything is fine. Bring it to the office as usual.**

He almost hit send before adding something.

**Thank you.**

-

The first thought Rey had was that something smelled good. The second was the realization that she was not in her bed. It took her a moment to wake fully. She blinked her eyes, scrunching up her face as light invaded her vision. Sitting up slowly, the robe she’d used as a blanket the night before fell from her shoulders and she took in her surroundings. The door opened, drawing her eyes up and she was greeted with the sight of Hux finishing the knot in his tie. He was wearing a new black suit and was freshly shaven. 

“I had Mitaka bring you breakfast,” he announced, gesturing to the tea and to-go container on the work table. He checked his watch. “We’ve got an hour before we need to be on-site.”

She stared up at him, feeling rather disheveled in comparison to his crisp exterior. It was amazing to her that he could be so well put-together early in the morning. Equally amazing was that he thought to get her breakfast.

“Thanks,” she rasped, voice still hoarse with sleep, as she stood slowly and shuffled to where her breakfast waited for her. He watched her unwrap her bagel and fruit a moment before walking over and placing a hand on her head silently, almost petting her. She quirked an eyebrow at him but he’d already turned and gone back to his office.

She finished her breakfast quickly and rose to get changed. She’d been warned to pack an overnight bag since it wasn’t unusual for people to stay overnight at the boutique or office the night before a show. She grabbed her bag and went to change in the restroom. She briefly regretted the actions of the night before, knowing she wouldn’t get in a shower this morning but there was nothing to be done about it now. She’d just have to clean up the best she could with what she’d packed. She got changed fast, knowing they didn’t have much time to dawdle. When she came out, she was in a simple, form fitting black dress Hux had bought her. Thankfully, the neckline hid any evidence of Hux’s affections. She ran her brush through her hair as she made her way back to the work room, dropping her bag on the table and moving in front of the floor length mirror to check herself and fix her hair. She placed some bobby pins between her teeth and was gathering her hair into a high ponytail when Hux walked in. He stopped for a beat, looking her over, before moving a chair behind her and making her sit. Her hands went still as she followed his silent command, watching him curiously. He sucked at his teeth and took the bobby pins from her lips, batting her hands away from her hair. She watched, lips slightly parted, as he combed through her hair with his fingers. It felt wonderful and suddenly, she forgot about her need to hurry.

“I didn’t know you were a hair stylist as well,” she teased, her voice soft, as if speaking too loudly would break the spell that had settled over the space. The light of dawn streamed into the work room through the slats in the blinds that covered the expansive windows, highlighting motes of dust that floated through the beams. The noise of the city streets had gone quiet in the stillness of the morning and birds could be heard in the trees, singing their greetings to one another. It made the strangely tender moment come alive with poignancy. 

He styled her hair into a half up, half down look with large, soft pieces framing her face like a fringe and she had to admit, she was impressed. Hairstyling had never been Rey’s forte. She pretty much either threw her hair up in a bun or let her natural waves lay loose. 

“You learn a bit of everything working in fashion,” he answered her at last, pushing her hair over her shoulder, his hand lingering there a little longer than necessary until he cleared his throat and moved away, causing the world to move again. 

“We should get going,” he told her.

Rey watched him retreat back to his office before shaking herself out of the moment and dashing to catch up with him

-

**10 Hours Until The Floor Show**

The La Premier Ordre boutique was abuzz with movement and voices talking over one another. The production team was busy laying carpets and the caterers were setting up in the lobby. The designer Rey had smoothed things over with the day before was darting around the space giving people instructions. It was heady and exhilarating and Rey couldn’t help but smile. Hux didn’t seem to be as excited. He was looking around the room as if searching for something- or someone. He looked…nervous? He checked his watch.

“Models arrive in two hours. Let’s see how things are running backstage,” he said, face returning to its usual impassive state. She made a noise of agreement and they walked to the backstage area cut off from the rest of the room by black curtains.

Backstage was every bit as chaotic as the rest of the boutique, if not more so. She recognized familiar faces from the office, members of the production team she’d met yesterday, and some of the junior designers who also had sets in the collection. Hux was moving over the accessories table, pushing around garters and earrings until they were just so. The rest of the world probably couldn’t tell the difference when he was finished but it would have bothered him to not straighten them to perfection. He fixed the person in charge of accessories with a deadly serious look and warned them to guard the table carefully. Rey could only assume there was a method to his madness. Next, he moved to the racks of lingerie. His fierce gaze roved over each and every piece. He seemed satisfied and almost moved away but stopped short. His eyes lingered on a strappy black silk set, one of the ones they’d been working on the other day before their excursion to Chinatown. 

His eyebrow twitched imperceptibly. He’d been pleased with this piece before but looking at it now…it was too _harsh_. It was one of the ones he’d designed after Snoke came down on him and it met all of his specifications and certainly adhered to his own style but something about it bothered him now. He imagined Rey in it. Rey, with her soft curves and soft hair and impossibly soft skin. She looked ravishing in the lingerie he’d gifted her with- with her in mind. Thinking of her in this…it felt wrong and that bothered him to the point where he no longer wanted to put it on the runway. He snatched it off the hangar and stormed to the back of the boutique where he had Mitaka set up his sewing machine for exactly this purpose. Most designers worked right up until their shows, endlessly perfecting their creations. It was rare for Hux to feel the need to do so but now he absolutely did. He dropped into the chair in front of the sewing machine with a frustrated huff, staring at the set of silk underwear in his hand.

“Hux?”

Rey’s small voice made his head snap up to where she stood in the doorway looking at him nervously. She didn’t understand what made him suddenly take off with his creation but she wanted to help.

“Is there something I can do?” she asked. His heart hammered in his chest. He looked again at the bra and panties. 

“Bring me something- something soft,” he commanded as he began unpicking stitches.

 _Soft_ ?

Her face scrunched in confusion but she didn’t question him. He was the designer. She was hired for her knowledge of materials. He wanted something soft? She’d find it. Her feet carried her swiftly down the hall. She found the huge case of materials they’d brought from the office and bent over it, sifting through its contents. They had some fur and marabou trim. That was certainly soft. She doubted how it would look with the lingerie set he was working on, though. Her eyes settled on something black and fluffy. It was a package of feathers. With a feeling of conviction in her gut, she rose and hurried back to Hux. 

“Will this do?” she asked, holding out the feathers to him. 

He looked up from his work first at her and then the package in her hand. He nodded and took them from her, opening the package and getting to work. She stood over him, feeling deep self satisfaction until she remembered there was probably something more useful she could be doing than \grinning like an idiot. 

“Is there anything else?” she asked.

“No,” he mumbled, lost in his work, “Get the seating arrangement to that nagging woman.”

She nodded and turned to leave him to his work. She’d almost missed it but from over her shoulder, she heard him thank her. She smiled and set off to find the producer.

**4 Hours Until The Floor Show**

Rey had just finished setting the model photos when the company members were called to gather. Hux stood at the front of the runway with his hands behind his back looking down at the La Premier Ordre atelier crew. His stance and air were almost militaristic.

“Today is the day we have all been working towards for the last several weeks. Haute couture lingerie has never been seen as a noteworthy market in the fashion world. We, however, have been fortunate enough to work for a brand which has set lofty goals and have thus far been able to make a name for ourselves. We intend to send a message with this collection to the industry and our competitors. This show should reflect the values our brand strives for: elegance, quality, and above all, flawlessness. Mr. Snoke, Ms. Phasma, and I thank you for your time and dedication.”

They all clapped, saying words of encouragement to one another. When they disbanded, they moved with purpose to where they were needed. Hux stepped down from the stage and motioned at Rey to follow him. 

“Rey,” he instructed, “You’re backstage with me.” Phasma raised an eyebrow and shot him a curious expression but said nothing. He pretended not to notice. Rey nodded and darted backstage with him, picking up a headset.

“This is where I’ll be,” he said, showing her an area off of the wings. “I’ll be conducting final checks before the prompter sends the models out. If anything happens, I want you to be the one to take care of it.” He doesn’t bother asking if she can handle it. The determined look on her face and his past experience working with her are enough to tell him she’s more than capable. He felt a surge of confidence. He hadn’t been this excited for a floor show since his very first. It’s with that thought that he’d been reminded that this is _her_ first show and a smile tugged at the corners of his lips, feeling almost proud that he would get to be a part of that.

**20 Minutes and Counting**

Sultry music filled the space. Adrenaline pumped through Rey’s veins like a drug. She moved among the chaos like a seasoned pro, thriving on the high pressure. All around her, people bobbed and weaved, each one dashing to fix some last minute issue, working against their rapidly approaching deadline. People could be heard in the lobby, mingling and talking over drinks. A voice on the headset announced that they were getting ready to seat people. Rey found her place at Hux’s side and handed him the booklet he’d had her retrieve with the model’s walking order in it. He was flipping through the pages when Phasma’s voice filtered in over his headset.

“Hux,” she said, her voice deceptively calm, “Seats A11 and A12.”

He frowned, looking up from the papers. Those were the seats for House Organa. He stepped into the wings and looked out into the audience. His gut clenched. There was a sophisticated older woman with dark grey hair pinned up elaborately seated next to a handsome younger man with olive skin and thick, dark curls. He didn’t recognize the man. But he knew the woman without a doubt. Leia Organa, herself, famed designer and creative director of House Organa. Journalists and photographers hovered around the space, taking photos of her and the man beside her.

“Fuck” he whispered, eyebrows knitted together. What was she doing here?

“What’s wrong?” Rey whispered back, straining to see past him. He clenched his fists and shook himself, returning to his task. 

“Never mind,” he insisted. She gave him a concerned look but he failed to see it, eyes trained on the booklet he’d been studying. Models began to line up, hair and makeup people fussing over them to make sure they looked perfect before they passed over to Hux, who turned them around, searching for anything out of place.

“Mr. Snoke has just arrived, he’s being seated now,” Phasma stated through the headset. Hux frowned in mild annoyance despite the nervousness he felt at those words. It was about bloody time. He sent the first model on to the prompter. 

Rey could practically hear her own pulse. She ran through the show in her head, thinking of anything that they could have forgotten to check or that could go wrong. She was biting her lower lip anxiously when the weight of a hand on her shoulder made her jump. Before she could turn to look up at him, Hux leaned forward to whisper in her ear. 

“Don’t be nervous,” he breathed, lips grazing her skin. He didn’t tell her that he, himself, was on pins and needles. 

She gave him a small smile and nodded gratefully. It wasn’t so much his words that helped but rather the fact that he cared enough to say them that managed to calm her a bit. They waited together with bated breath until the music shifted and the faint lights they could see from the stage changed.

“Ready backstage?” the producer asked over the headset. One by one the various crew members sounded their assent. 

“Go.”

The first model was sent out with a tap on the shoulder and everything seemed to explode. Time was moving at twice its normal pace as Rey helped Hux check the models, occasionally glancing at the screen that was hooked up with a live feed of the stage. It was nothing short of magical. Each model was a picture of perfection, clad in silk and lace. The model wearing the black strappy set paused in front of them and Hux turned her slowly. Rey’s breath hitched when she saw the detail Hux had added. Black fluffy feathers ran over the shoulders like wings. It completely changed the feel of the design. She felt pride in her choice of material. They sent her to the prompter and she caught a hint of a smile on Hux’s lips. Things ran smoothly for the whole show and Rey sent up a silent prayer of thanks. When the last model hit the end of the runway and was returning, she let out a deep breath. The girl strolled seductively into the wings and applause rang out from the audience. The energy was electric. People hugged and congratulated and thanked each other. Rey beamed at Hux and he surprised her by returning the smile in full.

He handed her his headset and she whispered words of congratulations. He wanted so badly to kiss her then. Everything had been perfect and she looked at him like he hung the moon. His whole body hummed with anticipation, thinking excitedly of when he would finally get her alone. The models lined up to walk again and this time, Hux followed. She watched on the screen as he walked across the stage, waving in thanks at the applause and then gesturing to the wings where the junior designers stepped out and waved as well. They cleared the runway and people began filtering into the lobby of the huge storefront. 

Backstage, models were changing as the crew talked excitedly. People came up to Hux but he couldn’t pay them any mind. He placed a hand on Rey’s back and she only had a moment to remove her headset before he was ushering her into the back of the store, finding an empty room and locking the door behind them. She let out a yelp as he picked her up and twirled her around in the small space before pressing her against a wall and capturing her lips with his. 

“Little girl,” he growled low, covering her jaw and neck with kisses, “I’m going to do filthy things to you when I get you in my bed,” he promised, grabbing her ass in both his hands and grinding her against his crotch so she could feel how hard he was for her. He wanted nothing more than to fuck her there in the store but he wasn’t a fool. They’d been lucky that no one had caught them thus far and he wasn’t going to chance it here and now. He pressed his forehead to hers and she smiled breathlessly up at him. 

“Come on,” she laughed, “Everyone out there’s waiting for you.”

They looked around the hall cautiously before making their way to the lobby. Hux was immediately bombarded by journalists clamoring for quotes. His practiced unreadable expression had fallen into place and he stood coolly with one hand in his pocket looking almost bored. Rey watched, almost amused at how easily it came to him. After awhile, something seemed to grab his attention, though. She followed his line of vision over her shoulder to see a shriveled looking elderly man in a gaudy gold damask print suit walking towards her. Just as he’d hobbled up to her, Hux appeared at her side to make introductions.

“Mr. Snoke,” he greeted the towering man.

“Mr. Hux,” he intoned. His voice made Rey shiver. “The show seems to be well received, although I was…surprised by some of the more sentimental designs.”

“Ah, yes,” Hux fumbled, “I made some last minute additions but I’m confident they’ll be successful.” It was strange for Rey to hear him so nervous. Did this man really make him that afraid? 

“This is Ms. Sanderson, our new assistant designer,” he said, introducing her. She held out her hand for him to shake.

“Come closer, child, let me look at you,” he droned in his eerie tone. He took her hand and startled her by pressing his clammy lips to it. Rey had a very large personal bubble and the action made her practically shake with disgust.

“Such spunk. Let us hope you inspire young Armitage to make good choices. I look forward to seeing what you’re able to bring to La Premier.”

“Thank you,” Rey said tersely, barely concealing the discomfort in her voice. As soon as he was out of sight, she rubbed the back of her hand on her dress and grumbled to Hux, “I think I’d like a drink now.”

They moved through the crowd to the complimentary bar although they had to stop every five feet so someone could congratulate Hux on the collection. When they finally made it, Rey ordered an amaretto sour. Hux got himself a gin and tonic. Waitresses walked by with trays of expensive looking bites of food which Rey helped herself to liberally. They’d had a catered lunch, which had been pretty great, but it wasn’t nearly enough for her. With food in her stomach and the warmth of alcohol on her tongue, she was feeling much better. She stuffed some kind of seafood on a cracker into her mouth, content to people watch as industry VIPs approached Hux with business cards and handshakes. She imagined he was keen to wash his hands the first chance he got. The thought of his promise from earlier entered her mind and she found herself wondering how long this after party hobnobbing would last. She was contemplating how to ask him as much as casually as possible when she saw him visibly stiffen.

“Congratulations, Mr. Hux, it really is a beautiful collection.”

The woman who’d come to a stop in front of him was wearing an expensive looking royal blue dress and what Rey instantly recognized as an Hermes scarf. She was classically chic and almost intimidating despite her size.

“Thank you, Mrs. Organa,” he replied with a confident air, “Though I admit, I’m surprised to see you here.”

Rey’s eyes widened upon hearing her name and suddenly, she realized she recognized the woman. This was Leia Organa, fashion pioneer and the namesake of their top competitor- an icon.

“I’m old but not out, Mr. Hux,” she chuckled good naturedly, “I like to keep an eye on what my peers in the industry are up to.”

“You flatter me,” Hux protested, although his voice was impersonal.

“Allow me to introduce one of our new designers, Mr. Poe Dameron,” she chimed, gesturing to the well dressed, ruggedly handsome man beside her. Hux’s eyes narrowed minutely. 

“Dameron? The menswear designer?” he asked.

“I’m taking on some new challenges,” the dark haired man replied with a roguish grin. His eyes wandered to where Rey stood slightly behind Hux, clutching her drink and gazing in awe at the tiny woman in blue. “And, uh, who might this lovely young lady be?” 

Hux’s expression soured. He placed a protective hand on the small of Rey’s back. “This is my-,” he paused, biting his tongue. “Ms. Sanderson, my assistant. She’s working on textile design with our label.”

“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Rey beamed, thrilled to be meeting a woman who was practically a legend in the industry.

“Textile design?” Poe whistled, looking impressed. “And here I thought you must be a model.” He winked at her and she laughed at the idea. Hux’s lips tightened and his hand moved from her back to her waist, pulling her a little closer. When Leia rolled her eyes and elbowed the grinning young man, he found himself hoping it hurt. 

“We must be going but again, congratulations on the collection,” she smiled, holding up her flute of champagne and nodding politely before gracefully slipping away with Poe beside her. Hux’s hand fell from Rey’s waist as he remembered himself. He worked his jaw and lifted his glass to his mouth, watching his rivals over the edge until they disappeared into the crowd.

“Let’s go,” he declared, polishing off his drink and setting it on the tray of a passing by waiter. Rey perked up even more, excited once again at the prospect of the night to come.

“Let me just go grab my purse,” she said in a hushed tone. He nodded and headed for the entrance as she went to collect her things. She said her goodbyes and thank yous to Phasma and some of the other people whom she’d worked with backstage and when she was sure enough time had passed, she left to meet Hux by his car. She spotted him waiting for her in the parking garage with the engine already running and she ducked into the passenger’s seat. 

The ride to Hux’s wasn’t terribly long but she still caught herself nodding off. It was the first time since lunch that she’d sat down and her lack of sleep was catching up with her. It didn’t help that the seats in his luxury car were heated and oh, so comfortable. 

When they arrived, they hurried inside and coats and scarves were cast aside and left wherever they fell. His mouth moved hungrily against hers and she moaned and kissed him back with equal passion. They stopped in the kitchen, his hands pulling pins from her hair as he kissed along her neck. She tugged at his tie and he moved back to slip it over his head. 

“My little girl’s so eager,” he hummed against her ear, reaching his hands around her back to pull down the zipper of her dress. Her hands scrambled to unbutton his vest- he wore too much clothing, she’d decided- and she answered him with a needy whimper.

“Tell me what you want, kitten,” he growled, pulling her dress down to expose more of her creamy neck to his lips. She opened her mouth to tell him how badly she wanted his cock but instead of Rey’s desperate pleas, the next thing Hux heard was a very unhappy, yowling meow. They both looked down to see an agitated tabby staring up at them, tail twitching expectantly. Hux’s head fell onto Rey’s shoulder and he let out a groan. She laughed and just shrugged apologetically.

“Looks like she’s gotten used to me, at least,” she said, bending down to hold her hand out to the cat who sniffed it warily. 

“I need to feed her,” he sighed. “Wait for me in the bedroom?”

“Of course,” she murmured huskily, kissing him one more time before sauntering off. Hux watched the sway of her hips until she was out of sight and then darted to the fridge to get Millicent her food. She tailed behind him, yowling pathetically. 

“I hope you appreciate this,” he grumbled, depositing her food in her dish. He washed his hands and threw out the container and headed to the bedroom. Rey was laid out for him in a delicious display, already naked and looking like a gift from heaven. He toed off his shoes and came up to the side of the bed, smirking down at her. She sat up and looked at him with adoration, hands gliding up his legs to undo his belt as he removed his shirt. Divested of his clothes, he practically pounced on her, kissing every beautiful bruise he’d left her the night before. They were both still chilly from the cold night air and he pulled the heavy duvet over them. 

Delighting in the warmth of him and his bed, she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him, teeth pulling gently at his lips. He thought about all the things he wanted to do to her to make her scream from that glorious mix of pleasure and pain but kissing her felt too good right now to move and they stayed there wrapped in each other’s embrace, hands wandering lazily. 

“You were amazing today,” he murmured into her mouth. Her kisses slowed and she looked up at him, eyes shining. 

“Me? You were amazing,” she huffed. He smiled down at her, brushing her hair from her face. He would never cease to be struck by just how beautiful she was. Each freckle looked to him as though it was placed there purposefully by some great cosmic artist. He kissed from her cheek to her collarbone. He thought of the man- Dameron- and how he flirted with her at the party. In the moment, he’d seethed but now he was here with her in his arms and the fact that she was his and his alone made his chest swell with some unknown emotion. His eyes flickered shut.

He opened his eyes and realized with horror that he was falling asleep. He sat up and saw that Rey’s eyes were closed and her chest was heaving softly. He let out a soft puff of laughter. At least she couldn’t make a joke about his age- she’d fallen asleep just as fast as he had. He really couldn’t blame her. Neither of them had slept very much the night before. She rolled over, seeking out his warmth, and sighed contentedly. 

No one had ever slept with him in his bed before but he found he enjoyed the sight of her there. His beautiful, perfect Rey in his bed. She had agreed to be in a relationship with him. This was something people in relationships did, right? He lay back down and pulled the blankets up around them again. She snuggled up to him and as soon as his eyes were closed, he drifted off, wrapped in her scent and her arms.


	13. Lay All Your Love On Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fluff-smut-fluff sandwich

It was still dark out. He wasn’t sure what time it was but if he had to guess, it was maybe three in the morning. Rain pitter-pattered against the windows and in the distance, thunder rumbled gently. The rain made him think of home. Or rather, the place he’d called home once but that never seemed to fit the definition of the word. Something he hadn’t thought of in a very long time. Lightning flashed and illuminated the room in cool blue light. 

When it was gone, his eyes adjusted and she came into focus again. He could make out the sharp line of her jaw and the darkness of her lashes against her cheek. Her lips were slightly parted and she was breathing evenly. 

He’d woken up craving a cigarette but was afraid that if he moved, he would wake her. He didn’t want that. Which brought him to his next worrisome thought. One he’d avoided since he’d met her. He thought if he admitted out loud that he wanted her, it would be enough. But he’d done that and if anything, it made things worse because there he was, lying awake, tracing her features in the dark with his eyes. There was no denying it now.

Armitage Hux felt something for another person. He’d been jealous yesterday. Of that man with the blinding white smile and charming demeanor. It wasn’t the first time, either. There was that- that _man_ she lived with. He’d never felt possessive before. It was ugly and insecure of him. He chewed the inside of his cheek. 

He was too old for her. He was in military school when she was in diapers. He was rude and neurotic and he frowned constantly. She was confidence and smiles and brightness. Maybe it was only because of the safety of darkness but he felt he could admit now that worried him. Frightened him, maybe. 

Despite being almost 35, Hux had never had what one would call a committed, long-term relationship. When he was young, in England, there had been girls. In America, there had been women. As the years went on, his dalliances became few and far between. He’d learned that was the rational thing to do. He didn’t want anyone in his life. It only caused chaos and disorder.

But he wanted Rey. He wanted her chaos. And he really didn’t want her to want anyone else. Since he was being honest with himself now, he could acknowledge that he’d wanted her from the first day they’d met for lunch when she gushed to him about fabric. He was a grown man and she had him acting like a boy on his first date, utterly smitten.

The thunder boomed outside, rolling closer. Rey frowned in her sleep and scooted further into his arms. He’d fallen for her.

-

Rey woke with the sun. She stretched and rolled in Hux’s impossibly large, comfy bed until she collided with a solid chest. 

“Morning,” she mumbled with a smile. He responded with a hand petting the back of her head. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes. 

“Umm, did we have sex last night?” she asked, voice low and coarse and full of confusion.

“No.”

She flushed. “I- I guess I was really tired,” she babbled. He made a soft noise of amusement and she knew it was alright. They lay still a moment before he spoke.

“I suppose you’re hungry.” 

She grinned. “I am. But first…can I take a shower?” She leaned back to look up at him.

He met her gaze with darkening eyes. He was very much alright with that idea. Taking her hand, he helped her from the bed and led her into the bathroom, flicking on the lights. He took a moment to appreciate her nude form, especially her pert peach of an ass before pulling her back against his chest and kissing her bare shoulder. He walked her into the shower and had her sit on the built in bench.

“Legs up, little one,” he instructed, bending her knees so that she sat completely open to him. The position made her embarrassed but she wouldn’t dare disobey him. He turned on the shower, testing the water temperature with his hand. The anticipation of what he would do was killing her. Steam filled the room. He stood under the shower and went about washing his hair.

“Hux,” she complained with a whine.

“Sir,” he corrected. “Be patient, darling.” He went about showering. His stiff, reddened cock bobbed with his movements. He could play it cool all he wanted but he was as worked up as she was. His skin went pink from the heat of the water and she fought the urge to rise and trace the droplets that cascaded down his chest with her tongue. He was driving her mad. When finally, he seemed finished, he leisurely dragged a hand down his chest until he circled his cock with it. 

“Play with your tits for me, kitten,” he panted, stroking his length. Practically vibrating from eagerness, she reached up with shaking hands and cupped her soft, round breasts, massaging them for his pleasure. She tweaked their tawny peaks and pinched and pulled and he hummed approvingly. 

“Good girl,” he praised her. It went straight to her cunt, aching with need. 

“Please, sir,” she groaned, “I want to touch myself for you.”

He gritted his teeth, Adam’s apple bobbing, and stroked his length harder, pressing his thumb into the slit of his cockhead and spreading the slippery wetness that gathered there. He nodded his consent and she dipped her hand down to rub her clit tantalizingly. 

The sight made his cock twitch and he cursed under his breath. He stepped forward and placed a hand in her hair, pulling it back from her face and tilting her head up. His hair clung to his forehead, wet and dark and his bright green eyes burned into hers.

“Open,” he panted, and she parted her lips, moving to take him into her mouth but he stopped her with a reproachful sound, so instead she just stared up at him expectantly, pink lips forming an ‘o’ with her tongue hanging out slightly. 

“There we are,” he murmured, “my good girl.” Her fingers began to work furiously as he pumped his cock, hitting the head of it against her tongue. She felt utterly debauched, body on display for him, mouth open, hungry for his cock.

“You look so beautiful,” he rasped, “I think my good girl deserves a treat.” She moaned and nodded her head enthusiastically. He turned from her and unhooked the showerhead from its cradle. Her eyes went wide. He passed it to her and she took it from him, flushing with embarrassment. She knew what he meant for her to do. She’d done it herself in her own bathtub but doing it in front of him was something else entirely. Fuck, she wanted to, though.

She leaned back against the tile and adjusted the stream the way she wanted it, slowly bringing it between her legs until the water drummed against her clit. The sensation was unbearably exciting and her toes curled as she shook and moaned.

“F-fuck,” she ground out, her pussy twitching with her eminent orgasm. He chuckled darkly.

“What a good girl I have,” he purred, hand still working his cock. His words made her whimper and she could feel the tension coiling low in her stomach. She watched his hand move over his cock and though of where he might cum on her. Would he make her hold it in her mouth again? Or maybe it would splash on her face or her tits, covering her in his sticky warm spend. The water danced along her skin, dragging her to the edge. 

“Please, I-” she panted, palming one of her breasts with her free hand and pinching her sensitive nipple between her fingers. 

“Does my little girl want to cum?” he laughed softly. 

She sobbed, “Yes, please- sir.”

“Cum for me,” he bit out, reaching his other hand down to grip his tightening balls.

At his command, she felt her stomach muscles tense and her whole body shook with her release. She moved the showerhead away when it got too intense and he took it from her, placing it back in its cradle. She tried to press her thighs closed but he stopped her, leaning over her and stroking his raging hard cock over her clenching cunt. He braced himself with an arm against the wall over her head and with a few more frantic pumps, he groaned and came over her pussy lips.

He drew in deep, ragged breaths, watching his seed trickle over her parted lip. His fingers dipped into it and he pressed it into her still twitching hole, “Where it belongs”, he said, making her shiver. It was always hot when he came inside her but him actively pushing it into her with his fingers felt amazing.

When he caught his breath, he leaned down and kissed her sweetly, murmuring words of adoration. He helped her stand, legs shaking and bottom sore from the hard bench. He poured out his shampoo into his hand and worked it into her hair, massaging her scalp. It smelled expensive and masculine but bright, like him. She felt so light and relaxed she could have fallen asleep again if she hadn’t been standing. He repeated the process with conditioner, combing out the tangles in her hair gently with his fingers. When he finished, he poured body wash into his hands and took his time working it all over her body, making her giggle whenever he reached someplace ticklish. She rinsed off and he held her hand as she stepped out of the shower before handing her a white, fluffy towel. She was surprised it wasn’t black.

He wrapped a matching white towel around his waist and stood her in front of the mirror to blow dry her hair. She was _not_ surprised he owned a blow dryer. 

His behavior, though, continually caught her off guard. When she’d agreed to have him as her dom, she never expected him to be so doting or to pamper her the way he did. Washing and blow-drying her hair felt incredibly intimate even after what they’d just done and her heart swelled despite herself.

When her hair was dry, he showed her to his closet, which was, in her opinion, massive. He was definitely a clothes horse. For lack of anything better, he gave her a pair of his pajamas. They were a little too long and loose but they would do. He dressed in a black, long sleeved knit shirt and dark grey trousers. It was the most comfortable and casual she’d ever seen him. She noticed that he hadn’t gelled his hair, either, or shaved. It softened his looks. 

They walked into the kitchen and were greeted by Millicent who yowled hungrily. Hux went about preparing her food and Rey bent down to scratch the orange cat under her chin.

Taking her food out from the fridge, Hux grimaced. “I’m afraid I don’t have many breakfast options. It’s still early but I can see if there’s any place open that will deliver.”

“What do you normally have for breakfast?” she asked, frowning.

“A strong cup of tea and a cigarette,” he replied sardonically. She gave him a distressed look and went to his pantry as he emptied the cat food into Millicent’s dish. There were all kinds of snacks, courtesy of her shopping trip, but not much that would really make a meal.

“Take out it is, then.”

-

That Sunday had been wonderful and leisurely, both feeling tremendous relief from getting the floor show out of the way. Unfortunately, reality had to catch up eventually, and come Monday, they were as busy as ever- maybe more so with all the work the show generated. 

Rey was having her lunch in the break room. Because apparently, they had one of those. It was news to Hux but he found himself spending more and more time there, always whenever Rey was having a break. He started making his own tea in there. If Mitaka noticed the odd coincidence, he said nothing. 

Hux was pouring hot water over the teabag in his cup when he heard Rey make a soft, sad noise. She was looking at her phone.

“Is something wrong?”

She glanced up at him and shook her head. “No, no it’s nothing. Some plans fell through.”

That got his attention. Plans for what and with whom?

“What sort of plans?” he asked, as casually as he could, taking a seat across from her at the sleek black table. She shrugged, a sad smile on her lips.

“For tomorrow,” she said as if that was all the explanation needed. He stared at her, waiting for her to continue, not understanding. She gave him a deadpan look.

“It’s Halloween?” she said at last. His eyebrows raised a little, genuinely surprised.

“How did you not know?” she said with an amused huff.

“It’s not like I have children,” he scoffed back at her. “What plans did you have for Halloween?”

“Finn and I always watch movies together. When we lived closer to the suburbs in college, we used to hand out candy. But he’s got this new boyfriend and they’re going to a party so it looks like it’s just going to be me.” She looked down at her lunch with that sad smile again. His shoulders stiffened at the mention of her roommate. 

A stupid idea popped into his head. A really, really stupid idea that he should not say out loud. But he was agitated that she was so disappointed in not being able to spend time with someone that wasn’t him and well- Armitage Hux was not always a smart man.

“My neighborhood is…very busy on Halloween,” he blurted haltingly.

“You must hand out a lot of candy,” she smiled, taking a bite of her sandwich.

“I usually don’t,” he sneered, “At all. But…if you wanted to…,” he trailed off uncomfortably.

Her mouth hung open a little. There was a breadcrumb clinging to the corner of her lips. He wanted to kiss her.

“Really?” she asked with a small gasp. “Yes! I mean- yeah, if that’s okay. That sounds fun!”

He nodded, bringing his tea to his lips nonchalantly. She smiled wide, eyes crinkling adorably. 

-

The next day, Hux left work early. Rey milled around, reorganizing fabric samples until she could leave without being suspicious. When she got to his house, she dashed inside excitedly, brushing past him with a big bag on her shoulder. Millicent greeted her with a friendly brush against her legs.

“There’s already kids outside!” she squealed. “Did you buy the candy?”

He pointed to a significant amount of shopping bags on his kitchen counter and she hurried over to look. Each bag was filled with full sized candy bars.

“Holy shit, Hux!” she breathed. “These kids are going to flip.”

“I wasn’t sure-” his lips pressed together in a frown. He was not experienced in buying Halloween candy and had no idea how much to get or what kind. He did a Google search and found an article boasting that his neighborhood was “one of the best places in Manhattan to find full sized bars” so he assumed that was the norm. 

“No, it’s great!” she assured him. “We should get dressed!”

“Dressed?” he repeated, eyebrows inching towards his hairline.

“Don’t worry, I knew you wouldn’t have a costume so I planned ahead,” she hummed, striding to his bedroom.

“ _Costume_ ?” he practically shouted after her. Buying candy was one thing but he would _not_ wear a costume. He had given her enough already. 

When he came to his bedroom doorway, he found her standing by his bed in nothing but a pair of lacy black panties. His cock immediately sprang to life. Maybe he could indulge her a little more. 

She slipped a dark blue dress on over her head. It had been painted on, with her fingers by the looks of it, a recognizable but amateur recreation of Van Ghogh’s _Starry Night_. It clung to her curves beautifully, which he took his time to appreciate. She went to his closet and he followed curiously, watching as she selected a blue suit- Yves St. Laurent, he noted. If this was her idea of a costume, he wouldn’t object. She handed the hangar to him and he went into the bathroom to change. She stood at the door, grinning playfully. He smirked back, happy to give her a show. As he was buttoning up the jacket, she went to retrieve something from her bag.

“It’d work better if you had a beard,” she pondered aloud, “But it’ll still look good.”

She was holding a bandage with a red paint splotch. He let her wrap it around his head, with the red spot over his ear. When he looked in the mirror, he let out a genuine laugh. He was Vincent Van Gogh.

“Does this make you my work of art?” he chuckled, pulling her to him. He bent to kiss her and she wrapped her arms around his neck, moaning low against his lips. He’d started to walk her towards the bed when the doorbell rang. He growled in frustration but she only laughed, pulling him to the door. 

She filled a bowl with the first bag of chocolate bars and soon had a steady pace going. Between trick or treaters, she decorated his porch with orange and black streamers and balloons. “To be festive”, she told him. When the bowl became empty, Hux would bring out another bag full of candy. There were so many children at one point, they ended up just staying outside. Rey cooed over nearly every costume, pointing out ones she liked to him. He failed to see the appeal of screaming children begging on his doorstep, covered in snot and chocolate. Little beasts, he thought, scowling.

“Did you celebrate Halloween as a child?” she asked suddenly. His eyes roved over the families wandering the street, children swinging between their parents.

“My father called All Hallow’s Eve ‘brainless, superstitious nonsense’,” he answered, one corner of his lips twisted into an uneasy expression. “Although I was dragged to more Bonfire Night celebrations that I care to remember.”

She let out a laugh. “Oh, God, we used to play Knock, Knock, Ginger the night before Bonfire Night!” 

He shot her a tired look and she flushed. “Oh…I guess you had to hear that one a lot, huh?”

“Surprisingly, mischief night was not a time I have fond memories of,” he grumbled. She smiled apologetically. “Your family didn’t mind you running around playing pranks on innocents, then?” he asked. A faraway look came over her face and she seemed to study the pavement. He felt he’d said something wrong but didn’t know what or how to erase the sadness that shone in her eyes.

“I guess not,” she hummed, holding her head up again as if she hadn’t been phased at all.

“Look,” she exclaimed, “there’s Princess Zelda! And Groot!”

He didn’t know who those characters were but she seemed happy again. He tried to smoke but she snatched the cigarette from his hand with a look of warning. 

“Babababa!” a tiny toddler in an alien costume shouted, running up to them, waving a plastic ray gun. A tired looking man trailed behind, breathing heavily. 

Rey knelt down to hand the bouncing child a Hershey’s bar. “What a cutie!” she laughed.

“It’s his first Halloween,” his dad grinned proudly, still catching his breath. The little boy held up the candy bar for his dad to see; his latest acquisition.

“How exciting!” she beamed at the both of them. The father laughed heartily.

“That’s one way to put it! Just wait until you folks have kids of your own,” he said, chuckling at Hux and Rey, “You won’t believe how far they can get on those little legs.”

“Go, dada!” the little boy cried, already heading to the next house.

“Happy Halloween!” the man called over his shoulder, shuffling to catch up with the little alien hopped up on sugar. He didn’t even register the stunned expressions of the two people standing in front of the brownstone.

Neither of them dared look at one another. Thankfully, another wave of kids appeared and they could pretend they weren’t dying of embarrassment. Once it was dark out, the crowds started to slow. It was a school night, after all. They headed back inside. Hux lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply. He’d had entirely too much fresh air that evening. Rey placed the still full bowl of chocolate bars on the kitchen counter.

“I figured we wouldn’t have much luck ordering in tonight what with the streets being blocked off,” she said, “So I thought ahead!” The doorbell rang before he could respond and she told him to go ahead and take the trick or treaters their candy. He set his cigarette down in the ash tray and took the bowl to the front door where a group of teenagers in hockey uniforms held out pillow cases. 

“What’re you supposed to be?” one asked, crinkling his nose. Hux dropped the boy’s candy bar on the ground and closed the door, going back to the kitchen. Rey was standing in front of the stove, fiddling with a knob. There was a soup pot on the burner. It was his. Until that moment, he’d forgotten he owned any pots and pans.

“Made it last night,” she told him, pointing to a large, empty Tupperware container on the counter. “Just got to heat it up!” He moved closer and saw the pot was full. Sausages, onions, and potatoes bobbed in a thick broth. “Dublin coddle,” she grinned, stirring the stew with a large wooden spoon. It smelled incredible.

“I haven’t had coddle in years,” he murmured. Not since he left England. There were plenty of places he could have gotten it in New York but he’d never sought it out. It reminded him of uncomfortable family dinners. But watching Rey now, standing in his kitchen, fixing him dinner, he didn’t feel reminded of his childhood home at all. He felt anxious for an entirely different reason. It felt much too domestic. 

The doorbell rang again. He remembered he’d left his cigarette smoldering but now he had to take the beasts their candy. He grimaced, grabbing the bowl. He threw open the door and was greeted with a chorus of “trick or treat!” He hurriedly gave them their candy bars, closed the door, and returned to the kitchen where Rey was watching the simmering pot of stew. He ashed his cigarette and took a few short puffs before putting it out.

“Why don’t you pick out some scary movies to watch?” she suggested, throwing him a smile over her shoulder. Now there was something he didn’t mind about Halloween. He went into the living room where he kept his collection of horror films and mulled over which ones they should watch. He took off the bandage which had gotten to be rather annoying. The doorbell rang. Rey called out that she would get it. The sound of children shouting a rhyme about feet drifted down the hall. He selected a few of his favorite films. The Omen, The Innocents, and Rosemary’s Baby. Walking back into the kitchen, he watched as Rey sliced large pieces from a crusty loaf of bread. 

“Almost done,” she told him. “What’d you pick?” He showed her the movies and she laughed. For a moment, he worried he’d done something wrong and he suddenly felt embarrassed.

“Is that because of the dad earlier?” she asked, shoulders still shaking with laughter. He furrowed his brows, looking down at the movies. It took him a moment to get what she meant- they were all films about children possessed by the supernatural. He flushed and pressed his lips together.

“No- I just…like these films,” he sputtered. She just smiled. He decided to make himself useful by getting down bowls from the cabinet. She took them from him and filled a bowl each, turning off the burner. They went into the living room and he put on the first movie. 

Occasionally, the doorbell would ring and he would get up to answer, grumbling all the while, until they were out of candy and he turned off the porch light. When they’d finished eating, Rey insisted they change into something more comfortable. She’d brought pajamas with her and explained with reddened cheeks that it was “just in case”. Her pajamas were a tank top and scandalously short shorts that made him his heart do somersaults. She made them popcorn and handed him a hard cider from the fridge, cuddling into his side. Millicent joined them, perched behind his head.

“Thank you for dinner,” he murmured. “It was wonderful.”

“You’re welcome,” she smiled sleepily. It was after ten and she was used to early mornings now.

“Where did you learn to cook?” he asked. Rey might have been brilliant but if you’d asked him, he would have guessed she’d be a mess in the kitchen. She stilled under his arm.

“I kind of…just had to learn. I always took care of myself,” she whispered, eyes trained on the black and white images on the tv.

“What about your parents?” he pressed, frowning deeply.

“Hux.” She paused, searching for the words. “I- I don’t have parents. I mean…I must have had a family at some point but I don’t remember them. They gave me up when I was five.” Her voice seemed small and it made the ache in his chest that much worse. How could anyone give up Rey? His Rey who was stubborn and messy and clever and smiled like she was made of sunlight? His gut churned in anger and his hands gripped her tight. 

“Rey,” he began, unsure of how to even tell her what he was feeling.

“It’s okay,” she cut him off. “I’m great now. I’ve got my job and Finn and-”

“Me,” he finished, quietly. “You’ve got me.”

She didn’t say anything but after a moment, she nodded and relaxed further into his arms. When the film ended, he could tell she was struggling to stay awake but she insisted he start the next one so he obliged, even if her yawns were contagious and he was just about ready to fall asleep himself. About ten minutes into Rosemary’s Baby, she was out like a light and he gently nudged her awake and walked her to bed. He cleaned up their snacks and drinks before sliding into bed next to her. He pressed a kiss to the back of her head and she sighed into her pillow. The pillow on the side of the bed that had recently become hers.

“You wanted me,” she slurred, half asleep.

“What?” he whispered, thinking she might be talking in her sleep.

“You left and I thought you didn’t want me. But then you said you did,” she mumbled. Hux swallowed and wrapped an arm around her tiny waist, encompassing her fully with his embrace. Before Rey, he would have hated having someone share his bed. 

Now even the smallest bit of space seemed like too great a distance.


	14. Wild Is The Wind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's smut. I don't know what you expected.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HoOOoOOooOOOly cow, you guys, the response to this fic is so heart warming. Every single comment I get just blows me away. And over 100 kudos?! Amazing. I can't tell you what it means to me that people are giving this rarepair the time of day. Thank you so much!
> 
> If you're enjoying the fic, please leave me your comments and feel free to hit me up on tumblr!

**Thursday, November 2nd**  
“I’m so happy we’re doing this,” Rey beamed. “I feel like I never get to see you anymore.” She piled her plate high with pancakes before joining Finn on the couch. The first heavy snowstorm of the year hit and Phasma had called to give her the morning off. The smell of bacon and maple syrup filled their small apartment and cartoons played on the TV.

“Can’t be helped,” Finn said with a shrug, shoveling his face with a forkful of pancakes soaked in syrup. “You’re working all day and I work all night. And on the weekends, you’re with daddy dearest,” he teased. She tried not to grin idiotically but didn’t quite succeed.

“Like you’re any better with your boy toy,” she scoffed. “How’s that going, by the way? Did you guys have fun at that party?”

Now it was Finn’s turn to try to hide his smile and he failed even worse than Rey had.

“Okay, out with it,” she demanded, lifting up her glass of orange juice, “That face means something.”

“I think I like him,” he confessed. “Like, a lot. Things have gotten pretty serious. He asked me to be his boyfriend and I said yes, so we’re, y’know. Together. Officially.”

“Holy shit, Finn!” she gaped, eyes sparkling, “That’s amazing! I’m so happy for you!”

He shrugged like it was no big deal but the huge smile on his face said that it clearly was. 

“What’s this guy’s name, by the way? You never talk about him.”

“It’s Poe,” he said. “You’d like him, he works in fashion. Actually, I think he designs underwear like you.”

“Poe?” she repeated with a small frown, hand stilling, bacon hovering inches from her mouth. “That sounds familiar…where exactly does he work?”

“House Organa?” he answered, a bit unsure. “They’re like the 5th Avenue Victoria’s Secret, I think.”

Her eyes widened to comically large proportions and her hand slapped over her mouth. “Finn!” she hissed.

“What? What’s wrong?” he asked, features painted with concern.

“I met him last week! House Organa is our rival company!”

“Oh, dang,” he breathed, eyebrows raised high. “Is that, like, a problem?”

“No,” she said quickly, “It’s just…wild, you know?” He nodded and took another bite of his pancakes. After a moment, she added, “He’s really hot.”

Finn almost spit out his orange juice.

-

**Wednesday, November 29th**

High above a New York City street, a pencil ran feverishly over paper, creating swooping lines and slopes. Narrowed green eyes watched its trail, bright and alert behind a pair of glasses. 

Outside, snow and slush accumulated around the corners of buildings and sidewalks. People had started early holiday shopping and Christmas decorations adorned every store and city street, despite the actual holiday being many weeks away. People passed by below, bundled up in thick coats and scarves with spiced drinks in their hands, laughing with their friends. With their families. With their lovers.

Hux was with Rey. Bent forward over his work, Hux glanced over the table, eyes taking in swatches of fabric, embroidery thread, and inspiration images. 

Armitage Hux was one of the most up and coming lingerie designers in the fashion world. One month after his collection hit the runway at the La Premier Order boutique, the label was slammed with orders and requests. 

His design assistant, Rey, helped him manage it all. "Here's the charms I was thinking of," Rey said, placing a box of little red crystal charms in front of him. He nodded his thanks. "Those are perfect."

He had other things he could be working on but inspiration had struck and he needed to get the idea out right away. That had been happening more and more as of late. In the past month, he’d felt renewed passion for his craft. It was almost as if the whole experience was new again. 

He was working on their next collection, preparing sketches and compiling swatches to show Snoke. This collection was already shaping up to be his most unique. It was much more romantic; softer than his previous works, which were daring and sensual. He was experimenting with earthier fabrics, as well, like cotton and linen, thanks to Rey’s influence. 

They often spent late nights bouncing ideas off of one another- the possibility of hand dying designs or where to draw inspiration from for upcoming collections. On the weekends, she would come over to his house and usually spent the night. 

He leaned back to look over the sketch he’d completed and felt her brush against his elbow. 

“That’s stunning,” she said with a quiet smile. She was always totally honest with him and he’d come to value her input. Sometimes she was too blunt but he preferred that to sugar coated platitudes. 

“I’m getting ready to take a lunch break. You need anything?” she asked. He shook his head and returned to his sketch, wanting to illustrate some of the finger details on a greater scale. She was almost to the door when he thought of something.

“Rey?”

She turned back upon hearing her name. “Yes?”

“If you want...I was thinking you might want to leave some things at my place.” His eyes didn’t leave his work as he spoke.

“Some things?” she parroted, not understanding.

“Clothes,” he explained, “A toothbrush.” He shrugged lightly. “If you want to. For when you…for when you stay.” 

A small, bemused smile made her lips curl up. “Okay,” she agreed. His shoulders squared and he worked his jaw, like he had something else of his mind but he said nothing so she left the room, thinking he was probably just focused on his work. Once she’d gone, he moved to his computer to upload the sketch to his design program. 

He had wanted to ask her to join him on the long Thanksgiving weekend but he already knew she had plans. He’d heard her discussing the American tradition with Phasma. She always spent the holiday with Finn, apparently. It was fine. It wasn’t like he celebrated the ridiculous day, which seemed to only be about sports and stuffing one’s face. He would enjoy a glass of brandy by the fireplace with Millicent and appreciate the quiet.

Maybe she’d still come over Saturday or Sunday. 

-

**Thursday, November 30th**

Hux lay on his sofa with Millicent in his lap, staring at the spot where Rey usually sat, cigarette held between his lips. He scratched between Millicent’s ears and let his head lull back against the arm rest, exhaling into the air. It was quiet. _Good_ , he thought. He never got any quiet anymore. He couldn’t remember when he last time he had time to just sit and think. 

He wondered if Rey was at her apartment of if she and her roommate went somewhere for the holiday. He supposed he could text her but he wasn’t any good at that and he knew it. Besides, was this even the kind of relationship where you texted one another like that? So far, it didn't seem so. 

His brow crinkled. The air smelled like smoke, but not like the rich tobacco scent he was used to. He lifted his cigarette and examined it in confusion before his eyebrows shot up and he scrambled to evacuate Millicent from his lap. She made a noise of complaint, laying her ears flat.

He slid into the kitchen where smoke was escaping the oven. For a moment, he floundered, unsure of what to do before crushing his cigarette into the ashtray and opening the oven door. Smoke billowed out in a huge, grey cloud and he swiped at the air, bending down to pull the dish from the rack until he realized his hand was uncovered and _ovens are hot_.

He searched around for the stupid oven mitt frantically and when he found it, he pulled the burning food out and slammed the door shut. He dropped the dish into the sink and went to go open a window, growling in frustration.

When he got back to the kitchen, he turned off the oven and stared at the ruined dish in the sink. He had ordered his meal the day before and foolishly took the restaurant’s advice to reheat the roasted duck breast in his oven. Bending over the kitchen counter, he took a deep breath. It was fine. He still had the sides. That would be a fine meal.

He poured himself a large glass of wine and fixed his plate, taking it into the dining room and sitting at the table. He had a salad, beets, and potatoes. He spread his napkin over his lap and drank his wine. Some of the haze of smoke from the kitchen was still drifting through the house but at least the burning smell had abated.

The dining room table was long and empty except for the seat he occupied. He remembered sitting there with Rey the first night she’d come over and the dinner they shared there. The night they first made love. 

_Had sex._ He cursed himself under his breath for the mental misstep.

He stabbed the cold salad with his fork and brought it to his mouth. He wondered what Rey was having for dinner. He imagined a cartoonish assembly of Thanksgiving foods crammed on the plate, piled as high as possible and let out a quiet laugh. 

That first meal in the dining room had been the only one they’d ever had at the table. They always ate on the couch or in the kitchen. Or in bed at midnight when she got a craving for snacks. He could see her in his mind’s eye, propped up against the headboard, covering his bed in pop tart crumbs. She’d show him some video on her phone of fabric being dyed in Indonesia or something like that and he’d watch quietly.

It was too quiet. He picked up his plate and glass and went into the living room, turning on the TV. The absurd holiday parade filled the room with noise. He ate his potatoes.

When he was done eating, he cleaned the kitchen and poured himself a brandy, returning to the living room to turn on the electric fireplace. Millicent joined him again, meandering around the sofa before choosing a spot to curl up in. A thought drifted through his mind: he had seen Rey almost every single day since she first came into his office. If not at work, then at home.

He finished his brandy and went to bed, alone. The pillow on the other side of the bed smelled faintly like Rey’s shampoo. It was fine.

He woke up early despite not sleeping well and got himself ready for the day only to realize he didn’t need to go in to work. He went to his home office and tried to get things done but there was nothing to do. His phone remained silent. He groaned aloud, slumping into the office chair in front of his computer. 

He was bored. He wanted to text Rey and tell her to come over. Was she even in New York? What if he told her he wanted to see her and she said she was busy with Finn? What if she didn’t want to see him? He should have asked her what she was doing over the holiday. He picked up his phone and stared at her number. 

It was a pattern he’d repeat for the rest of the day. Look for something to do, realize he was bored, think about texting Rey. _But what if she doesn’t want to see you._

Night fell and he poured himself a few drinks too many, which was saying something considering his incredible tolerance for alcohol. He went to sleep early. Alone, again.

It was fine. 

-

**Saturday, December 2nd**

His phone buzzed annoyingly from his bedside table and he rolled over, groaning as he covered his head with his pillow. He lay completely still for several long moments before his eyes snapped open and his arm shot out to grasp his phone, opening the message.

**Hey, are you doing anything today?**

It was from Rey. He responded quickly.

**No. I’m at home.**

He pressed send and as soon as he did, he feared that he might have come across too disinterested. His phone buzzed again.

**Want some company? **

He let out a deep breath.

**I can pick you up now if you’re not busy.**

He waited with anticipation until she told him she wasn’t and then he grabbed his coat and was out the door. 

When he got to her building, he waited anxiously until she came downstairs and slid into the passenger’s seat. The moment she sat down, he was surrounded in that familiar aura of Rey. Things were right with the world.

“Hey,” she greeted him, leaning over to her lips to his cheek. “Did you miss me, sir?” she teased.

“No,” he answered too quickly, sounding childish. She raised both eyebrows disbelievingly and buckled her seatbelt. His ears burned red and he pulled away from the curb, heading back to his house.

“So what’ve you been up to?” she asked, making light conversation. His hands gripped the steering wheel tighter, leather gloves squeaking.

“Nothing,” he mumbled pathetically, and she fell silent. She studied him for a minute before resting her hand on his arm.

“I’m glad you were free today,” she said with a soft smile. He remained silent but lowered his arm to twine his fingers through hers. He drove with one hand the rest of the way home.

He held the front door open for her and they stepped in, pulling off their coats. He relaxed immensely and pulled her to him, tilting his head down to capture her lips, wanting desperately to taste her. She moaned into the kiss, taken by surprise at his eagerness.

He guided her down the hall to his bedroom but had to stop every five feet to press her against the wall and remove another piece of her clothing. His mouth worshiped hers and he trailed kisses down her neck until he met the collar of her top and pulled it off. He continued to move her into his room until the back of her knees hit the bed. He pushed her down and tugged off her pants and socks so that she was left in only her dark green and black lingerie. He pinched the tip of one of his gloves between his teeth and tugged to remove it but her hand came up to stop him.

“Leave them on, sir,” she purred seductively with a mischievous smirk on her lips. “Please?” His already hard cock stiffened further at her request.

“I’ve been thinking about you, Ms. Sanderson,” he confessed, running his leather clad hands over the creamy expanse of her thighs. He lifted one of her slender legs and pressed a kiss to her ankle, his lips moving against her skin as he spoke. 

“You’ve kept me very distracted.” He kissed along the inside of her leg until he passed her knee. His eyes flitted up to meet her lust filled gaze. 

“I think you need to be punished.” Her eyes drifted shut and she moaned at the promise of his delicious brand of painful pleasure.

“Move up,” he commanded. She scooted up the bed and he went to his armoire, where she’d learned he kept his toys and instruments of pain. When he turned around, he had what looked like a pair of handcuffs. These were made of leather, however, and held together with a gold chain. He stepped forward and bent over her, securing one delicate wrist in the cuff and looping the other cuff through one of the bars on his headboard before locking her other wrist into it as well. 

“There we are. Tied to my bed where you belong,” he murmured, brushing his lips against hers. His heated gaze as she lay exposed before him had her pressing her thighs together in anticipation. 

He pulled the delicate lace cups of her bra down under her tits so that the fabric pushed them up enticingly. He couldn’t help but take a moment to massage them and lick over their peaks, causing her tawny brown nipples to pucker and stiffen as he groaned against them. They were likely his favorite feature of her body. 

“Perfect,” he whispered in adoration. She felt her cheeks get hot at the sincerity of his praise.

“Now, then,” he hummed lowly, returning to his cabinet. “What will Ms. Sanderson’s punishment be today?” His hand moved over whips, paddles, ridding crops, and canes before selecting one. 

“This should do nicely,” he mused. He crossed back to the bed with his chosen instrument in hand.

“What do you think, little one?” he asked, dragging the flogger up her stomach, making her shudder. It was composed of both long strips of suede as well as soft fur and tickled her in a way that excited her because as wonderful as the teasing sensation was now, she knew it would sting when he brought it down on her. 

“Yes,” she groaned, arching her back. He smirked in response.

“And how many lashes does my naughty girl deserve today?”

She gulped. “T-ten?” she tried. He made a sound of disapproval.

“Oh, little girl,” he chided. “I don’t think you realize how badly you’ve left me craving you.”

She whimpered with need. God, his voice was sinful. She steeled her nerves and gave serious thought to how much she could really take from him.

“Fifteen,” she decided confidently. He let out a breath, biting back a groan. His cock struggled against his pants.

“There’s my brave girl,” he said softly, caressing her cheek with one gloved finger. 

“You know what to do if it gets to be too much?” She nodded. During their times together, she had used ‘yellow’ once but never needed to say ‘red’. He’d also given her hand signals to use in case she was too overwhelmed to speak. Any time she looked like she needed a break or a reprieve, he would let up. She’d learned to trust him with her body. Here, in his bedroom, she could surrender to him without feeling afraid, knowing she was the one who was really in control here.

 

“Count for me, darling,” he instructed. The first lash was light on her stomach, warming up her skin. It was almost more of a tickling sensation.

“One,” she sighed blissfully. The next fell on her breasts, making them bounce. It stung more that the first as the suede licked her nipples.

“Two!”

He continued on, watching her squirm and writhe as he lightly struck her chest, alternating stinging blows with almost gentle caresses. Her pretty tits grew flushed and pink, little lines decorating their curves. When he came to eight, he sensed her getting comfortable.

“Open,” he murmured, brushing the flogger between her knees. She looked up at him nervously but did as he instructed. He brought it down lazily over one of her inner thighs, making her jump and gasp. Her breasts had been sensitive but this was another sensation all together.

“Nine,” she moaned low in her throat. He repeated the action across the other thigh and she whimpered loudly.

“Ten,” she breathed. He pressed a finger to her center and felt the fabric give against her wetly. He chuckled, peering up at her.

“Enjoying this, are we?” he asked.

“Yes, sir,” she gasped as he dragged the flogger against her soaked core.

“Five more,” he reminded her, hitting the first thigh with a harsher blow. 

“Eleven!” she cried, throwing her head back. The other thigh received the same treatment and she sobbed, pulling her legs up. “T-twelve!” she panted.

He grabbed both her ankles in his strong hands and pushed her legs flat.

“Behave when you’re being punished, little girl,” he warned sternly, fixing her with his piercing green stare.

“Y-yes, sir,” she panted, squeezing her eyes shut. She thought about saying 'yellow' but it felt so good.

“Can you keep going, pet?” he asked. She started to nod but then shook her head. It was too intense.

“I-it’s too much, sir,” she sobbed, pressing her face to her arm. It felt amazing but she couldn’t bear any more. 

He set the flogger on the nightstand and she felt the weight of his knee on the bed beside her. He made calming shushing sounds and took her face in both of his hands, peppering it with kisses.

“You did so good,” he assured her, “My beautiful, brave girl.” She nodded, not knowing what to say. He unhooked her cuffs from one another but left them on, setting the chain aside and rubbing her arms as she brought them back down. 

“Is that better?” he murmured, looking down at her with the softest expression she’d ever seen from him. She made a small noise in her throat, agreeing, and he bent down to kiss her again. He trailed kisses from her burning hot cheeks down to her tender chest, soothing over the pink welts with his tongue in an almost reverent way.

“You’re were so perfect for me, Rey,” he promised, working his way down her body. “I’m going to make you feel so good, darling.” His tongue ran over her still tingling thighs and he lavished them with wet, open mouthed kisses before hooking his thumbs into the waist of her panties and pulling them down. She watched in amazement as he pressed a kiss to her sex. 

His gloved fingers ran up and down her slippery folds and she sighed in pleasure at the sensation. He pressed the tips of them to her clit and began to slowly rub circles just the way she liked it, kissing and licking her thighs like they were his favorite treat. She tossed her head, letting out a high pitched moan. He was getting her all worked up again but this time, it was all pleasure and softness.

He slipped his middle finger into her and it was ecstasy. Normally slender fingers were made thick by the leather and the smooth texture felt incredible inside her. His tongue found her clit and he mouthed at her pussy eagerly, groaning when she clenched around him. He sucked her clit while pumping her and she thrashed beneath him, gasping at the intensity.

Her hands found their way into his hair, mussing the stiff orange peaks. She looked down at him and saw that his eyes were trained on her face. The usual want and desire were there but there was something else, too. Something she’d never seen before. It made her whimper and buck her hips. His finger curled against her g-spot over and over, bringing her right to the edge. 

“H-hux,” she panted, tugging at his hair. He let out a noise that she could have sworn was a whimper, pulling his mouth from her. She felt his hand slow and she whined in frustration. He kissed her stomach apologetically.

“Need to feel you,” he groaned. His finger slid out of her and he quickly rid himself of the gloves and his shirt. She hummed at the sight of the span of porcelain skin, beautiful and smooth. He shoved his pants and underwear off at once and knelt between her legs, capturing her mouth again as his now bare hands glided over her collarbone and down to her tits. He couldn’t help but cant his hips against her, his cock throbbing and red, leaking precum onto her belly.

“Feel how hard you make me, Rey?” he bit out from between clenched teeth, delighting in the feel of skin to skin contact at last. She whimpered and pressed her face against his shoulder. The fraction of his body weight he laid on her felt so good and warm. 

“Say you want me, too,” he pleaded. He sounded almost broken and her heart suddenly welled with emotion.

“I want you, Hux,” she whispered, “Please,” she begged softly, over and over until he met her lips with his. He angled his cock above her entrance and pressed the swollen head inside her velvety walls.

“Fuck,” he hissed as her warmth enveloped him. He slid further in and she let out a pleased keen. He rocked his hips back and thrust in again, going deeper.

“You feel so fucking good, Rey,” he groaned. He started fucking up into her rougher, faster. Somehow, he seemed to go in even deeper than before, hitting that wonderful sensitive spot inside her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he kissed her shoulder, murmuring to her how tight she was and how she felt like she was made just for him.

She responded with her own chorus of moans and cries as he fucked her into the mattress, too fast for her to keep up with him. His cock felt heavy and hard inside her, stroking her in a way that made her feel like she’d discovered some ancient heavenly secret.

“You don’t know what you do to me,” he admitted between babbling adoring nonsense in her ear. He pushed up, supporting his weight with one arm beside her head, hand running through her silken chocolate locks as the other moved between their bodies to rub her clit. His eyes held hers and he looked utterly wrecked. His hair was mussed and his eyes were glossy and dark. A light sheen of sweat had broken out on his forehead.

“Need to feel you cum for me, Rey,” he panted, breath ragged. She wrapped her legs around him and let herself drown in the feeling of Hux. The way her skin still tingled from the cruel suede, the smell of his brand of cigarettes and aftershave, dark and rich against bright and clean, the tight line of his beautiful lips. She didn’t know until that moment how badly she could want someone.

She let out a loud, stuttering cry as she clamped down around his length and the second he felt her come undone on his cock, he was cumming inside her, hips slapping against her skin, making loud wet sounds. His cock twitched as he emptied deep in her cunt, cum warm and trickling out and onto the bed below.

He breathed deep, gasping breaths, his eyes never leaving her face. He pushed her hair away from her forehead, lightly damp with sweat, and kissed her deeply as she milked his cock for every last drop. When he finally peeled himself away from their increasingly sticky embrace, he pulled the bedspread over her and tucked himself in beside her, peppering her forehead with light kisses and running his fingers through her hair. 

The moment had been too intense for either to speak and without even realizing, they ended up lying there for hours, lost in their own little world. Rey cuddled into his chest and if her heart fluttered every time he absentmindedly kissed the top of her head, she tried not to think too deeply on it.

-

**Saturday, December 16th**

 

In the nearly empty work room at the La Premier Order offices, Rey leaned back and stretched her arms over her head before glancing at her watch. 

“I’m going to head home,” she said with a sigh, standing and collecting her things. Hux looked up from his computer and nodded, pushing his glasses up onto his head.

“Hey, did you get that email from Phasma about that Christmas thing?” she asked, pulling on her coat. He hummed a yes, watching her dress herself for the cold. 

“It’s a charity gala, they have it every year. Did you want to go?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. She laughed and shrugged, wrapping her scarf around her neck.

“It’s not really my kind of thing, don’t you think?” she joked. He chewed the inside of his cheek before leaning back in his chair.

“Let’s go,” he said plainly, taking her by surprise. 

“Really?” she questioned, looking at him with disbelief. “It doesn’t seem like your kind of thing either!”

He smiled lightly, twirling his stylus between his fingers and looking away in contemplation.

“I bought you that evening gown and you complained you would have no place to wear it. Here’s your chance,” he told her. She stared at him a moment before breaking out into a big grin and laughing.

“Ok, then! You’re on,” she beamed. She walked around the table and bent down to kiss his cheek.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” he murmured, taking her hand in his.

“Of course,” she grinned back.

-

In Hux’s bathroom, a hot pink toothbrush had joined his on the bathroom counter, along with several more feminine items. The black and grey and blue of his wardrobe gained a small spot of color in the form of woefully tacky t-shirts and jeans. His fridge and pantry filled. More often than not, the throw pillows and blankets that were once kept as purely aesthetic decorative touches were in disarray on the sofa and floor. 

In the cold of winter, Hux’s home felt oddly warm.


	15. Winterlude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all so much for your patience in waiting for this update. I've been busy with other works, which I hope you'll check out as well. I struggled with this chapter but it's extra long so hopefully that'll make up for the delay a bit. Your comments and kudos mean so much to me and are what's kept me going. <3

It was the first Sunday in December and Jingle Bell Rock could be heard coming from Rey and Finn’s apartment. The two danced around playfully in their matching flannel PJs as they hung strings of lights on the tree Finn had bought the day before. He hated having to drag it up three flights of stairs but Rey insisted on a real tree every year. Their ornaments were an assortment of brightly colored novelty nightmares collected over time. Rey hung up a slice of pizza as Finn chose the perfect branch for a busty mermaid.

“Hey, by the way, the lease in coming up. You wanna renew?” Finn asked, picking up a Santa dressed as a leather daddy. 

“Well, yeah. Right?” Rey asked, frowning as she stepped away from the tree to look at him. He shrugged in response.

“I dunno, I’ve kinda been looking at places in Manhattan. It’d be closer to work for both of us,” he said off handedly, hanging the ornament with care.

“Mmhm,” Rey said with a lopsided grin, planting her hands on her hips. “And closer to your booooyfriend.” 

Finn looked away, hiding his smile, thoroughly embarrassed at being so transparent.

“I just- I want to be near him, Rey,” he sighed quietly. “Besides, we can afford it now. And don’t deny you’d like being closer to Mr. Long Term Bootycall, either.”

Rey let out a laugh, shaking her head. “I guess I would,” she chuckled. “Have you seen anything worth checking out?”

“Not yet. I’ve seen a lot of great one bedrooms and studios but it’s harder to find a two bedroom someplace that’s affordable.”

“Well, keep looking, I guess. It can’t hurt to see what’s out there,” Rey hummed, busying herself with ornaments once more. When they were all finished, Finn topped the tree with a picture of Chris Pine and they both stood back to admire their holiday themed disaster, wrapping their arms around each other. 

“So, Christmas movies?” he asked. 

“I promised Hux I’d go over to his place today,” she said with an apologetic smile. “He says he’s got a surprise for me. But next Sunday for sure!”

“What a shame,” he said, sounding not the least bit upset as he pulled out his phone and dialed Poe, retreating to his room. Over her laughter, Rey heard him invite him over, voice filled with excitement.

-

Rey arrived at Hux’s and he opened the front door to let her in out of the cold. She rocked onto her tiptoes and gave him a kiss, smiling against his mouth. His lips felt impossibly warm and she made a little sound of delight. She loved New York but could very much do without the cold winters. He carded his hands through her hair, tilting her head to kiss her deeper. 

“Hi,” she murmured happily. He chuckled in response and took her coat and scarf, hanging them in the hallway closet. She noticed he was only wearing a black tank top and pajama pants. She’d seen him naked plenty of times but rarely did he ever wear casual or revealing clothes. Even with his hair slicked into its usual style, he looked unguarded and it made her heartbeat quicken. 

“So, are you going to show me the surprise you promised me?” she hummed, eyes full of mischief and excitement as she her hands up his bare arms. He took her hands in both of his larger ones and brought them to his lips.

“So cold,” he mused aloud, then added vaguely, “Your surprise will warm you up.” He looked at her from beneath thick, pale brows with those sea foam green eyes and a shiver ran up her spine that had nothing to do with the cold November wind.

He guided her down the hall to his bedroom where she stood, mouth parted in quiet wonder at the sight before her. The room was filled with candles and on the floor where there was usually a fluffy white rug, there lay instead a canvas tarp over what looked like a mat.

“Strip, little one,” he commanded her quietly. She crossed to the bed and began to take her clothes off for him the way she’d found he liked. Slowly, laying each piece on the bed before moving to the next until she stood in only a pair of deep crimson lingerie. He came up in front of her and ghosted a hand down over her chest to the hem of her panties. The floor felt warm under her bare feet. Of course he would have heated floors.

“These, too,” he told her. He’d never had her remove her underwear right away before but she did as he said. The alluring tenor of his voice never failed to put her into a kind of trance. She reached behind her and unhooked her bra, revealing her pert breasts, and laid it on the bed with her other clothes before pushing her panties down and stepping out of them. He bent over to collect them and pressed them to his lips, inhaling her scent.

“Already wet,” he teased. She whimpered at the sight, squirming in place. She wanted him inside her so badly but she was too curious about what he’d prepared for her.

“On the floor, pet,” he ordered her, watching as she lowered herself to the mat. “Flat on your stomach.” She followed his command like the good girl she was, laying down with her head propped on her arms. He took a moment to appreciate her vulnerable form before stepping away to fetch the necessary paraphernalia. She listened to his footsteps and when he returned, she felt him kneel and brush her hair away from her shoulders. 

“Listen to me, Rey,” he said seriously. “You remember the safeword?” She nodded, swallowing.

“I won’t hurt you,” he vowed and she knew it to be true. “This is just oil. Don’t be afraid.”

He held a candle high over her back, tilting it slowly, and the warm massage oil trickled down her shoulder blades, making her moan with pleasure. He set the candle back down and started working it into her skin. His hands felt like a gift from God, massaging her tense muscles and rubbing the oil all over her body until she was covered.

When she was finally relaxed to his satisfaction, he took another candle and, holding it far above her body, let a single drop of hot wax drip onto her shoulder. By the time it came in contact with her skin, it was cool enough to tolerate but the sensation still made her jump a little. 

“Is that alright?” he murmured, and waited for her to nod before he continued. He let the wax drip across her shoulders, little rivulets running astray here and there before going cool and hardening. He chose a candle of another color and lit it, painting her more liberally. It pooled slightly in her lower back and in the dimples above her ass, stinging in a way that was half pleasure and half pain. Not knowing where the hot wax would fall next was driving her crazy and when a drop hit her ass cheek, she shuddered and felt herself getting wet.

It was an intoxicating dance of trust, pain, pleasure, and submission. From above her, Hux chose different colored candles, turning her into a wax covered masterpiece. It dripped down the curve of her ass cheeks and onto the tarp below and he had to stop and adjust the raging erection in his pants. 

“So beautiful,” he whispered, drizzling wax over the sensitive backs of her thighs and making her gasp. “My perfect girl.”  
She whimpered with need, his praise wreaking havoc on her body. She longed to touch herself but wouldn’t move until he told her she could. Her nipples pebbled against the tarp below her, making the ache between her legs that much worse. A particularly hot splash of wax fell on her bottom and slowly dripped down her leg, causing her to throw back her head and moan.

When at last her skin was covered in splatters and drizzled lines, Hux stood back to admire his work. He set the candle in his hand down safely away from them before stripping his clothes and leaning over his lover’s body, trailing his hands along the lines of color. After the intense sensation of the wax, his gentle hands felt incredible and she moaned deeply in appreciation. 

A smile tugged at his lips and he laid his naked body on top of hers. She gasped beneath him as she felt his chest press against her back. She still felt warm but the wax had hardened and was smooth against his bare skin. What wasn’t covered in wax was still delightfully slick with oil. He groaned, slipping against her and rubbing a hand between her thighs. The feeling of being touched there at last made her groan in relief and she pushed back against his wandering hand.

“You’ve been such a good girl for me, Rey,” he murmured into her ear, dipping a finger into her wetness and spreading it around her clit. “It feels like you enjoyed that.”

She nodded, shakily. “Yes- ah- please, sir,” she whined, grinding back against him. He kissed her just behind her ear and pulled her hips up so that she was on her knees. Taking his leaking cock in his hand, he pressed into her tight entrance and hissed at the feeling of her stretching around him. When his sensitive head finally slid in all the way, he had to stop and take a deep breath, his hands coming up to grip her hips tightly. 

She rocked back against him desperately and he answered her with a firm thrust of his hips, sheathing himself fully. They both groaned low as he took up a slow, steady pace. From this angle, he could hit a wonderful spot deep inside her but if he let himself get carried away, he would slip out.

“You feel so fucking good, Rey,” he murmured, bending over her body, “So fucking tight for me.” His hand traveled down to rub furiously at her clit as he kept thrusting into her, hitting that sensitive bit of wall inside her. His breath was hot against her ear and the myriad sensations were sending her towards her peak quickly. It felt like she’d been right on the edge ever since he first put his hands on her. Her body was so attuned to his, so ready for his commands. 

“Please, sir,” she sobbed, rolling her hips back to meet his even thrusts, “Wanna cum so bad.”

“My sweet, greedy girl wants to cum for me?” he panted, his hips slamming harder into hers, wet squelching sounds filling the room as she clenched around him.

“Yes, yes, please,” she rambled as her legs began to shake. Knowing exactly what she needed, he sat up, never stopping the rocking of his hips as he brought his hand down on her plump ass cheek. It shook with the force of the smack and he massaged the reddening, wax covered skin roughly. Bits of wax flew off and what didn’t hit the tarp stuck to his sweat-slicked body. It was a beautiful, debauched mess as he fucked her on the floor, one hand giving her pleasure and the other pain.

“Cum for me, darling,” he groaned, knowing he wouldn’t be able to hold on much longer. “Cum on my cock.” His words proved to be too much as she came hard, gasping loudly, her hands clutching the canvas below her tight in her fists. With a shuddering groan, he pulled out and thrust only once between her ass cheeks before painting her with his warm cum, watching as it dribbled messily down her back. He had to put his hands out to keep from collapsing on top of her.

“Good girl, Rey,” he breathed, his arms trembling on either side of her, cock still rubbing against her pert ass. Once he caught his breath, he pushed himself back onto his knees carefully. He gathered her in his arms and held her, kissing her lazily until she felt she could sit up on her own. He began the long, messy process of scraping wax off her skin, although truthfully, he found the repetitive task oddly soothing. The oil he’d applied made it much easier and each piece he peeled from her revealed tender pink splotches that he covered in light kisses.

When he’d gotten most of it off, he helped her to the bathroom and turned on the faucet. Rey smiled contentedly, excited to sink into a bath in the ridiculously large bathtub. He wrapped her in a fluffy robe while they waited for the water to rise. Once it was nearly full, he felt the temperature with his hand and ushered her in. To her surprise, the water was actually rather cool but she supposed that made sense after being drizzled with hot wax. He sat by the side, watching her relax a moment before rising and going to get his pants.

“Aren’t you going to get in?” she asked, watching him pull his pants up.

“You need to rest after that and if I get in that tub, I definitely won’t let you,” he chuckled. He sat beside her wet a washcloth, running it over her skin to rid her of any stray pieces of wax. When he was satisfied that she was once again pristine, he let her relax into the tub. Her head fell back and her eyes closed as she sank into the water, enjoying the coolness against her overworked skin. He leaned on the edge, happy to just watch her. 

She wasn’t sure how long she lay there but she was nearly falling asleep when she heard him speak.

“Good surprise?” he asked.

“Mmhm,” she smiled. “Good day, really. Finn and I put up our Christmas decorations this morning.” Hux didn’t stiffen as he normally would upon hearing the young man’s name. Ever since he discovered Finn had a boyfriend, he was much more at ease with the subject. His hand glided through the water lazily, stroking her arm.

“Hey, come to think of it, I didn’t see a tree or anything earlier when I came in,” she said, sitting up a bit to look at him. “Are you going home for the holidays or something?” Now he stiffened. They hadn’t had any real discussions about his family thus far and he’d prefer to keep it that way.

“I don’t usually celebrate,” he murmured, wishing she’d lie back down and forget about the whole thing. But, of course, she did the exact opposite, sitting up in the tub fully so that he had to sit up as well to look at her. She looked utterly shocked.

“You don’t- you- _what _,” she sputtered. “Christmas is the best! Why don’t you celebrate?”__

__“I don’t see the point,” he sniffed derisively. Who exactly was he supposed to celebrate with? Millicent? The last time he had a Christmas in any sense was before he left for university. Rey’s mouth opened and closed several times, her eyebrows pushed up toward her hairline._ _

__“The _point_ is that it’s the most wonderful time of the year,” she gaped, fully offended. _ _

__“Do you act this way about every holiday for children?” he lamented, looking at her from under stern, tired brows. Instead of answering, she stood up, making the water slosh in the tub, and stepped over him. Hux made a noise of indignation at being dripped all over but she ignored him, grabbing a towel and wrapping it around herself._ _

__“Come on,” she said, “We’re going Christmas tree shopping.” He scrambled to his feet, striding after her._ _

__“Rey,” he bellowed from the bathroom, “No. No, Rey!”_ _

__-_ _

__“$900 is too much,” she insisted, crossing her arms._ _

__“You dragged me on this nonsensical undertaking,” he spat, “So we’re going to do it right, and that means this tree,” he pointed to the enormous nine foot tall artificial tree in front of them, “because the living room has vaulted ceilings.”_ _

__This was not their first Christmas tree related argument of the day. First, he refused to get a real tree. He didn’t want to strap it to his car, he didn’t want pine needles in his house, and he really didn’t want Millicent getting poisoned or something because she decided to gnaw on a branch or drink the water or God knows what else. Then he wanted one with white lights already on it because he didn’t want to have to untangle strings and colored ones were tacky. Pretty soon, Rey was sure her eyes were just going to fully roll back into her head and stay stuck there permanently._ _

__“I’m putting my foot down, Rey,” he sniffed, tugging at his gloves._ _

__“That’s what you said when we left the house and look,” she said wryly, lifting up her arms to point out their surroundings, “now we’re here.” He glowered at her, face slightly ruddy with irritation. She heaved a sigh and relented._ _

__“Fine!” It was his frickin’ tree. Let him get the most overpriced one he could find. He smirked, pleased to have won._ _

__“Hm, now, about ornaments- don’t you dare put that in my shopping cart or so help me, Rey Sanderson.”_ _

__She made the wise choice to put back the surfing alien in a Santa costume._ _

__-_ _

__The night of the gala, it was snowing gently. Rey swiped bright red lipstick across her lower lip, a look of pure concentration on her face. Her hair was styled into elegant waves, with star shaped crystal clips forming a sort of crown around the back. Her makeup was more glamorous than she normally wore it and a pair of star shaped earrings dangled from her ears. All together, it made for an oddly contrasting image considering she was still wearing fuzzy pajama pants and a camisole with what she was pretty sure was a stain from lunch on the hem._ _

__“Leaving soon?” Finn asked from the bathroom doorway._ _

__“Uh-huh,” Rey replied, her mouth hanging open ridiculously as she applied another coat of the expensive mascara she’d treated herself to with her last paycheck._ _

__“Actually, I need you to help me into my dress,” she said, turning her face in the mirror and studying her work. He said nothing and she looked up to see an incredulous expression on his face._ _

__“What?” she asked._ _

__“Nothing, I was just thinking about how I wanted to bang you when we first met and now, after all the crap we’ve been through, I’m not even fazed by the idea of seeing you in your underwear…”_ _

__“Oh, har har,” she scoffed, brushing past him to her bedroom. She stripped her camisole and pajama bottoms off and stood in a plain, black strapless bra and panties. Finn dutifully unzipped the garment bag and whistled at the luxurious gown._ _

__“I admit, dude’s got good taste,” he smiled, holding out the gown for her to step into. Rey blushed a little, remembering the day Hux had bought her that dress…and what they did while she tried it on. It took Finn awhile to figure out the lacing on the corset but eventually, he got the hang of it._ _

__“So, hey, I wanted to ask you something. Poe’s invited us to go skiing with him. He’s got a membership at some smarmy resort upstate and wants us to come with,” he chimed, pulling at the laces in his hands._ _

__“Really? That sounds awesome!” she squealed, looking over her shoulder at him the best she could. “When do we go?”_ _

__“We’d leave on the 22nd and come back the 26th,” he said, tying the laces into what he hoped was an attractive bow._ _

__“Wait,” she said, turning around, “So we’d be there for Christmas?”_ _

__“Is that okay? We’d just be here, anyway, right?”_ _

__“Yeah,” she crinkled her nose. “But this is sounding kinda romantic…you sure you want me along?”_ _

__“Of course,” he laughed, “I’m not letting you spend Christmas by yourself, dummy.” He gave her a tight hug and she smiled against his shoulder. He really was all the family she had. Her phone rang and she pulled away to pick it up. Finn plopped on her bed and spread out, every bit the annoying older brother type. She swatted at him as she answered the phone._ _

__“Hey, Hux,” she said, “Come on inside, I’ll ring you in. Okay. Yeah, I’ll be downstairs in a minute.”_ _

__She slipped on her heels and put her phone in her clutch, grabbing her fluffy white coat and heading out into the hallway._ _

__“Don’t wait up!” she called out, closing the front door behind her before Finn could say anything. She descended the three flights of stairs very carefully. On the second floor, a middle aged woman with an arm full of groceries gave her an odd look but she pretended not to have seen it._ _

__When she reached the lobby of the building, Hux was there staring out the door at the snow that drifted down lazily in big, fat flakes, his arms crossed over his chest. He cut a handsome figure in his black coat and tux and her breath caught in her throat a little. The sound of her heels against the floor caught his attention, and when he turned to look at her, a smile slowly curled across his features and his eyes became bright. He closed the space between them, wrapping an arm around her waist and placing a small kiss near her ear._ _

__“You look even more beautiful than the first time I saw you in this dress,” he whispered slyly, making her feel heated even in the cold apartment complex lobby. He led her to his car outside and they headed to the hotel where the gala was taking place._ _

__The place was an art deco masterpiece, leftover from an era of excess in New York’s history. It was decked to the nines in Christmas glitz, complete with an impressive tree in the lobby and lighted garlands everywhere. At the entrance to the ballroom, Hux handed over their invitations. Jazzy Christmas music could be heard from inside, the kind that always made Rey think of New York, even as a child._ _

__Once she was out of her coat, he let his eyes wander down her curves. She looked like a goddess who’d stepped down out of the night sky just to be with him tonight and he felt his heart pound against his chest. He longed to pull her close and show her off as his but from the corner of his eye, he saw a statuesque blond in a silver gown approach them and was instantly reminded of why he couldn’t._ _

__“Hux, Rey, how nice to see you here,” she greeted them, with a martini in her hand._ _

__“This hotel is gorgeous,” Rey sighed, looking around the warmly lit ballroom._ _

__“Isn’t it? They have this gala here every year,” Phasma smiled. “Although, this is the first year I’ve seen you here, Hux.” With a practiced, unaffected air, he turned up his nose, plucking an imaginary bit of something from his sleeve._ _

__“I thought it would be educational for Rey,” he informed her. “I wouldn’t have guessed you’d be here tonight, though.”_ _

__“It’s a good opportunity to make business connections,” she stated coolly, ever the tactician. “Sometimes, it behooves one to socialize.” She lifted her glass to them and excused herself, leaving Rey and Hux to wander the huge room, standing only as close as professional decorum would allow._ _

__Waiters passed with trays of hors d'oeuvres, which Rey had already discovered was her favorite thing about these kinds of events. Eventually, they were called into another room for dinner, where they were sat with Phasma, as well as designer Bazine Netal and her date for the evening. It didn’t take long before Rey realized the designer was everything her reputation stated- a shrewd but brilliant business woman. In truth, she admired her for her daring take on fashion and pragmatic business sense._ _

__Dinner was, of course, delicious. Hux refused to tell Rey how much their plates cost as he knew it would put a damper on her good mood. After dinner and several speeches made by members of the fashion industry, everyone filtered back into the ballroom._ _

__Rey wondered if she would see Leia Organa again and tried to look around for her covertly but was quickly distracted when the band had started playing a jazzy, slow rendition of Merry Christmas, Darling._ _

__“Ooh, I love this song,” she cooed, clapping a hand over her chest and watching people move around the dance floor fondly._ _

__Hux’s face felt hot and he heard the words, “Would you like to dance?” leave his mouth, although he was sure he didn’t mean to say them. She looked at him, surprise written clearly on her face._ _

__“I thought you didn’t dance?” she asked with a small laugh. He swallowed the lump forming in his throat._ _

__“Not like in that nightclub,” he answered, looking thoroughly uncomfortable despite his offer._ _

__“We don’t have to,” Rey assured him._ _

__“I know,” he replied softly, taking her arm gently and leading her to the dance floor. She smiled wide and placed her hand in his as he wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her close. He guided her expertly across the floor, slow and gentle in his movements._ _

__“So,” she said smiling at him once she’d gotten the hang of the subtle, easy flow. “Guess what?”_ _

__“What?” he sighed, offering her a dry half smile, more focused on the feeling of her hip under his hand._ _

__“Finn’s boyfriend is taking us skiing upstate for Christmas,” she grinned. “I’ve never been skiing but I’m really excited.”_ _

__As she told him about all the things she was looking forward to, he found himself tuning out, not really listening but enjoying her enthusiasm and the way the lights glowed softly behind her. She fit perfectly in his arms, the way she always did. He’d loved her reactions to the hotel and the ballroom and dinner- to everything. She was always so genuine in her excitement. It was one of the things he loved about her._ _

__At that thought, he nearly stumbled over his own feet, making her look at him inquisitively with those wide, hazel eyes._ _

___No._ _ _

__Love? Of course he cared about her, wanted to be with her. But to say he loved her…it was insane. They’d been together, what, less than three months? He didn’t love her. There was no way, it just wasn’t realistic. Infatuation, perhaps, but love?_ _

__Her fingers absentmindedly played with the collar of his tuxedo jacket as she began rambling about Christmas something or other and he had to hold back a contented sigh._ _

___Fuckfuckfuckfuck._ _ _

__Alarms went off in his head. It was too much. All his worries and doubts about them came crashing down on him tenfold. As always, there was that voice screaming that he was too old for her. They were at different places in their lives. Eventually, she’d certainly want marriage and children, and then what? He’d never imagined those things for himself. He’d be forty in five year’s time. She could never seriously want to start a family with a man approaching middle age._ _

__Besides that, she was so, so _good_. Too good for him. He was rude and calloused and frankly, didn’t always make what she would call “ethical” choices. Like when it came to sourcing fabrics and materials, as she’d pointed out. She was the type of person who cared about those things. She held doors for people and recycled and was interested in what charity this event was for. He hadn’t even known. He had to ask Mitaka. She was wonderful and he was…a terrible person._ _

__His throat felt tight. When his eyes met hers again, they were looking at him with her usual honey eyed sweetness. It hurt his heart. They could never be more than this._ _

__The song ended and they pulled away slower than the other couples until the polite applause broke their trance. He guided her off the dance floor and mumbled something about getting them drinks before disappearing in the direction of the bar._ _

__He ordered himself a shot of whiskey and downed it in one go before ordering something he could take back to Rey without looking like he was drowning his nerves in liquor. Over and over in his mind, it played on repeat regardless of whether he wanted it to or not._ _

___I love Rey._ _ _

__“Hux,” he heard from over his shoulder. He turned to see Phasma coming up to the bar. She patted his back and gave him a friendly nod of her head._ _

__“Good for you,” she said cryptically before turning and mingling into the crowd again. He watched her retreating figure, dumbstruck for a moment before the bartender placed the drinks he’d ordered in front of him._ _

__When he returned to Rey’s side, he handed her the fruity cocktail he took a gamble on, figuring it was something she’d like._ _

__“What did Phasma say,” she asked, sipping the proffered drink and wincing a bit at the burn of the alcohol._ _

__“Oh, uh- nothing,” he coughed. She gave him a funny look but didn’t press further._ _

__“Armitage? Armitage Hux?”_ _

__They both turned in the direction of the voice. A handsome, fair skinned man sauntered up to them._ _

__“I thought that was you,” he laughed, holding out his hand. Hux shook it uncomfortably._ _

__“Sorry, I…,” he trailed off. He didn’t recognize the man at all._ _

__“Ned!” the man exclaimed. “Ned Quincy!”_ _

__Hux made an uneasy face, lips twisting downward. “Ned Quincy,” he echoed, still not recognizing the name._ _

__“We went to Yale together,” the blonde haired man said to Rey with a wink. Well, that explained it, Hux thought. He’d forgotten the names of most of his classmates except for a few influential people he kept track of._ _

__“Of course,” he sighed, “How are you?” he asked, taking a sip from his Manhattan._ _

__“Doing great, buddy, doing great. I’m working with Michael Kors, you know,” he grinned smugly. “And who’s this lovely young thing?”_ _

__Rey smiled thinly but politely all the same as Hux introduced her._ _

__“This is Rey Sanderson, my design assistant. She’s new to the industry but talented.” His words were honest but the praise caught her off guard all the same._ _

__“A pleasure,” he hummed, taking her hand in his. “Have a seat with me, let’s catch up,” he laughed, slapping Hux’s arm. He grimaced but Rey smiled at him in that cajoling way of hers and he took a deep breath and willed himself to _be nice_._ _

__The trio went to one of the tables lining the edge of the room. Hux held out a chair for Rey but she excused herself to go to the restroom, assuring him she’d be fine and that he should catch up with his college friend, thinking she was doing him a favor by encouraging him to be social. He scowled petulantly as he watched her head for the bathroom, sipping his drink. He sat in awkward silence with Ned frickin’ Quincy for a long, grueling moment._ _

__“So, Rey Sanderson. It’s quite a coincidence,” the sycophant college acquaintance said at last._ _

__“How so?” he frowned, disliking the way his Rey’s name sounded coming from the other man. He was still reeling from his recent revelation and he sensed that Ned wouldn’t be helping._ _

__“Well, we received her CV a few months ago,” he sighed, swirling his drink in his hand. That was unsurprising. He knew she’d been looking for a job, she undoubtedly sent her CV to a number of offices._ _

__“I found her work incredibly dull, though. Rather uncreative,” he sniffed, popping the olive from his drink into his mouth. Hux bristled, sitting up straighter and shooting the man a murderous glare. Rey was _brilliant_ . His fists clenched under the table, knuckles cracking with the force of his anger. Ned tossed back his cocktail, failing to notice the hostility radiating off the other designer as he drawled on. _ _

__“Besides, one never feels comfortable hiring these young girls right out of college. They’re all just playing at fashion, you know? They won’t exactly be _artists_ in the medium like you or I.”_ _

__That was it. Hux slammed his glass on the table before leaning in to the other man’s space with an intense scowl, voice dripping with indignation._ _

___“Rey Sanderson is a work of art all by herself.”_ _ _

__Without another word, he strode away angrily to the coat check, leaving the other man slack jawed at the table. When Rey came out of the bathroom, he’d already collected their coats and was holding hers up for her._ _

__“We’re leaving,” he declared without room for argument, his face icy and probably unreadable to most, although she could tell he was upset over something. She gaped at him in confusion and surprise but stepped into her coat nonetheless. He set her arm on his own and together, they left the party._ _

__It wasn’t until they were in the car that she looked at him and carefully asked, “Hux, are you alright?”_ _

__At her words, his shoulders relaxed and he took her hand in his and lifted it to his lips. “I’m fine,” he murmured, and he was. Instead of taking her back to her apartment, she realized they were headed to his house. She didn’t object._ _

__When they got inside, they both petted Millicent and he hung their coats in the hall closet. She left her shoes there, as well, grateful to be out of them. They made their way to the bedroom without speaking, her hand firmly in his. He undressed her quietly, peppering her shoulders and neck with small kisses as he went, which she smiled at softly. He hung her dress in the closet and to her surprise, brought her a pair of pajamas, his own night clothes tucked under his arm. He looked tired in a way she’d never seen. This was different from when he’d pull all nighters at the office but she didn’t know why. He sat on the side of the bed and changed out of his clothes. She watched him a moment before doing the same. This was…different than their usual routine whenever he’d brought her home but it wasn’t bad. He meandered into the bathroom and she followed. Together, they both went about getting ready for bed. He finished before her and just stood with his hand on her waist while he waited for her to finish brushing her teeth._ _

__They went to bed together, fully clothed. A wave of exhaustion swept over her and she felt sleep tugging at her consciousness. He curled his body around her and rested his chin on her head._ _

__“Rey?” he murmured into her hair._ _

__“Hm?” she mumbled in response._ _

__“Don’t go with Finn. Stay here for Christmas.”_ _

__She pulled back to look up at him. He looked every bit as serious as usual but there was something else in his expression, something tender and pleading. He spoke again, in case she’d misheard._ _

__“Spend Christmas with me,” he breathed. She thought she could hear the faint sound of his heart beating in his chest but maybe it was her own._ _

__She blinked a few times, stupefied, before nodding and muttering, “Ok,” and returning to her place in his arms._ _

__He closed his eyes and held her tightly. Hux was in love and terrified._ _


	16. We're Here Tonight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things get sticky.

Snow.

Beautiful on cards and in songs, less beautiful on Italian leather shoes. It was one of a multitude of frustrations plaguing a certain lingerie designer. 

Hux balanced the paper bags full of groceries in his arms, one knee up and holding a bag in place in an awkward dance as he dug for the keys to the front door before shoving them at Rey, who took them with a barely concealed laugh. 

Christmas lights illuminated the entrance to the brownstone and a large, beautiful wreath sat cheerily on the door. It was an odd for him to see his halls decked with holly but at least there wasn’t a front yard to speak of, lest Rey insist on some godforsaken inflatable terror.

“I still don’t understand what we need all this for,” he grumbled, depositing the bags on the kitchen counter.

“You eat out too much,” Rey sniffed, nose crinkling. “We’re not ordering every meal.”

He pursued his lips but put the food items away anyway. Flour got onto his black Calvin Klein cable knit sweater and he scowled at the humming brunette’s back. She was wearing a horrid shirt that said “NAUGHTY LIST” in sequined red and green letters with a sprig of mistletoe. She thought it was hilarious and actually _chortled_ when she showed it to him. 

She’d apparently been very busy grocery shopping for their holiday together and when he picked her up, she’d revealed a veritable cornucopia of ingredients for eggnog and French toast and God knows what else. Thankfully, she’d texted him to ask if he was fine with turkey because she revealed that she’d also been planning on buying a whole bird. Instead, he convinced her they only needed a breast. They were two people, not a family of twelve. 

So, here he stood, stocking his pantry with enough food to last the apocalypse, covered in baking ingredients, glowering. But then she turned and graced him with one of her brilliant smiles and he forgot all about his flour covered sweater and her ridiculous shirt and the approximately one hundred bags of groceries he’d been forced to carry and was swept away in the current of her infectious aura.

“Sooo, I brought Christmas movies,” she grinned. 

He scowled.

She kissed his cheek. 

He scowled less.

She made them popcorn and they started their Christmas movie marathon. Because, apparently, if you had Rey over for Christmas, there was going to be a movie marathon and she would mutter all the lines under her breath, although she insisted that she did not. There was a fire in the fireplace and the enormous tree glittered with lights and color coordinated traditional ornaments. Hux chose cream and gold. It was like a scene from a holiday commercial, twinkling and warm and oozing coziness.

Rey made them dinner, an enormous meal, even without the whole turkey. He’d already known she was brilliant in the kitchen but this was decidedly even more impressive than the coddle she’d made him before. There was homemade cranberry sauce and brussels sprouts and parsnips and…it had been a very long time since he’d had a home cooked meal like this. Actually, the Christmas dinners he’d had growing up might not even count as homemade since they were always cooked by the kitchen staff.

After dinner, they sipped heavily spiked eggnog in the kitchen, waiting for the sugar cookies she’d made to come out of the oven. In the living room, her phone was hooked up to a speaker and Bing Crosby glided through the house, singing about chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Her cheeks were slightly flushed. Everything was perfect and picturesque and he was _happy_ and it was…a lot. He spent the whole evening worrying that any moment, his heart would actually leap out of his throat. Ever since he realized he…felt things for her, he was as nervous as Millicent was the first day he brought her home. He tried to remind himself that this was dangerous. He never should have asked for this in the first place, but _oh_ how she looked right now, in this moment, with him…

“I always wanted a Christmas Eve like this,” she sighed, watching the snow fall outside the kitchen window. He bit the inside of his cheek because she was like some goddamn fantasy. 

“Not that Christmas with Finn isn’t fun,” she added hurriedly, “It’s just…it’s different doing the whole holiday thing in a house with the fireplace and the big tree, you know?” He knew.

“It’s the nicest Christmas Eve I’ve ever had,” he murmured in agreement from where he stood leaning against the kitchen counter, cup of eggnog against his lips. She licked a drop of eggnog of her lower lip and his eyes followed the movement. She didn’t even know how cruel she could be sometimes.

“So…I guess your family didn’t celebrate Christmas?” she asked tentatively. He’d rarely ever spoken about them but when he did, it was always almost disdainfully. As someone without a family of her own, she couldn’t imagine why else he wouldn’t have happy Christmas memories. She watched him cross his arm over his chest, a defensive position- a nerve had been struck. He drank his creamy liquor laden treat, seemingly contemplating his next move, as if the conversation was a chess match and he was scanning the board for weaknesses.

“We did. We aren’t close, though,” he said at last, a comfortable position on the board. She said nothing but one look at her and he could tell she wanted to know more and he wondered why he bothered building his walls so high when she easily side stepped them with that ever so slight tilt of her head. He relented with a heavy sigh.

“My father was a military bigwig,” he revealed, “from a long line of military bigwigs. That’s what he wanted for me. Queen’s Navy. Clearly, I had other plans.”

“Oh,” she said softly, in a sad kind of way that made his gut clench. “Well, what about your mom? Do you have any siblings?”

He looked away, apparently inspecting the grain of the hardwood floors. Protect your queen, Armitage.

“I have a brother and sister. Perfect, proper, protestant family,” he stated, voice cold. He felt her press into his side and when he looked down, he saw she’d moved to stand next to him, listening with keen interest. A surefire move. He swallowed and continued.

“Their names are Brendol, after my father, and Lavinia.”

Rey’s face scrunched up and he almost laughed.

“Your parents have quite a way with baby names,” she murmured into her own cup of eggnog. “How old are they?”

“Brendol is 53 and Lavinia…49, I believe?” He looked unsure, as though he had to search deep within his hindmind to recall such details.

Rey’s eyes widened. “That’s a big age gap!” she gasped. He shot her a dry half-smile.

“As you can imagine, it made it difficult to relate to them.”

She could only guess, having no siblings of her own…or anyone, really.

“How old is your father, then?” she asked, eyes crinkling as she tried to do the mental math. He didn’t miss how she said father and not parents. He wondered if that was a subconscious choice based on his diction or if she was just sensitive to these kinds of issues.

“Almost 80, I should think. I’m not sure I remember, to be honest. I haven’t seen any of them in fifteen years, maybe more. I usually receive a Christmas card from them. My name must’ve been left off the list this year, though.” 

He said all this sounding mostly unaffected, if a bit drained. As though talking about his family was a chore. She frowned, looking troubled. Before she could ask anything else, though, the kitchen timer went off and she quickly moved to take the sheet of cookies out of the oven. Hux sipped his drink, thankful she didn’t press the issue of his mother. While he would begrudgingly answer her questions about the rest of his family, he wasn’t ready to broach that subject.

The smell of warm cookies filled the kitchen as Rey set the tray down on the stove. He watched her over the rim of his mug. It was still strange seeing her so at ease in his home sometimes, but it never failed to please something deep inside him. He imagined this must be what Christmas Eve was like in other people’s homes. A couple standing in the kitchen, drinking eggnog and preparing Yultide treats. It certainly hadn’t been the kind of Christmas he’d grown up with but…it was one he could easily get used to.

She made frosting and only had to coerce him minimally into decorating the cookies with her. He surprised her with how quickly he got the hang of it, but then, being an artist, she should have expected that from him. He puffed out pridefully upon icing his first perfect white reindeer with silver dragées. 

“Why is there a hen?” he asked, frowning at one particularly round cookie Rey was decorating with wings. She looked between him and the cookie, awash with offense.

“This is a dove!” she scoffed. He looked at her skeptically. Thoroughly indignant at his cookie decoration appraisal, she dipped her finger in the sticky frosting and swiped it across his cheek, a self-satisfied smirk on her lips. 

His eyes went wide with horror. One sort of…twitched. His jaw went slack. Did she break Hux?

His hand shot out to catch her wrist, his ire thoroughly stoked. 

“You- you,” he fumed, frosting dripping down his cheek and onto the fresh sweater he’d changed into. The nerve. The unmitigated _gall_. 

“Me?” she echoed coyly, admiring the lovely shade of red he’d turned.

“You are going to clean this mess,” he demanded, pulling her to him and taking her other wrist so that she couldn’t turn away. Her face fell in surprise.

“Clean…the,” she stumbled, not understanding what he meant as he currently had a tight grip on her wrists so how on earth was she supposed to…

He tugged her even closer and turned his cheek to her face and then it dawned on her. Fuck, why did that make her excited? She leaned forward and licked the sweet icing off his skin in long, slow stripes until he was clean, heart pounding loudly. Shyly, she stepped back a little to meet his eyes, searching for his approval, warmth pooling between her thighs. He looked as stern as ever.

“Since when do we misbehave like that, hm?” he asked, sounding equal parts disappointed and irritated, like she was a naughty child who deserved a scolding. God help her, she loved it.

“You’re going to think about what you’ve done,” he promised, bending down slightly to brush his lips against hers. Her little act of unruliness had his cock twitching in his pants. How _dare_ she.

He picked her up and headed for the bedroom, ignoring her squeals and intent on improving her manners. He’d only made it to the living room, though, when he realized there was no way he could carry her all the way down the hall arms and had to settle for awkwardly sinking down onto the rug in front of the fireplace.

“Bad back?” she teased.

“Don’t you dare make one joke about my age or you’re going to get it,” he bit out, tugging off the holiday themed pajamas she’d worn around the house all day. She moaned at his eagerness and the threat in his voice, pulling at his sweater as well. His better judgement as a dominant told him he should have reprimanded her for her boldness but the glow from the fire danced along her skin and the Christmas tree lights twinkled behind her and he was too keen to feel her naked skin against his.

“C’mere,” he growled once they were both bare, rolling her onto her side and pulling her flush against him. She felt the familiar sting of his hand on her hip and it filled her with excitement. She wriggled against him and he groaned at the feeling of his cock slipping between her round ass cheeks. 

“You know that when you’re naughty, you have to be punished,” he bit out, grinding against her as his hand came up to massage her breast roughly. She loved when he pawed at her like this, like she was the next ledge on a cliff side and he might fall unless he searched her for every possible place to grasp.

“Yes, sir,” she moaned, slickness building on the inside of her thighs in anticipation. How those words served to fan his need for her.

“I didn’t hear you,” he said, accenting his words with another slap on her hip.

“Yes, sir!” she gasped as he rubbed the stinging pink mark he left her.

“That’s better,” she murmured into her hair, nuzzling the back of her head. He was vaguely aware of the slow, sultry Christmas music drifting through the room. He’d never considered it romantic before. More an annoyance to be put up with at shops for two months out of the year. He definitely found it romantic now; a thought that was just as startling as the fact that he was considering romance for the first time in his life.

“You’re not going to cum until I allow it, is that understood?” he asked, still rocking against her backside. If only she could hear his thoughts, she’d probably recoil in shock at how he was consumed with conflict over his feelings for her. Feelings that were much stronger than this relationship should entail.

“Yes, sir,” she groaned, only aware of the feeling of his fingers circling her clit.

“Who do you belong to?” He swallowed, sounding every bit as worked up at she was, his cock dripping precum into the cleft of her ass.

“You, sir,” she purred, tilting her head back under his chin. She found freedom in her submission to him and fuck, she wanted nothing more than to show him how he had claimed her. The thought of being his- of belonging to someone- it filled something in her she needed, at it scared her a little.

“That’s right, darling,” he murmured, lowering his head to place a kiss against her smooth, freckled shoulder. His fingers danced wickedly in her cunt, teasing her closer and closer to her peak. She bucked into his hand when he flicked her swollen clit just right and she felt him stifle a moan against her neck, as if it was taking all his will power not to roll her over and fuck her into the rug. 

“All mine.”

The fireplace crackled and snapped beside them as he bit into her neck. She knew he’d leave her covered in marks. He loved the way they looked on her and he’d murmur as much later in her ear when he cooed and hummed her to sleep in the soft way he did when they were both worn out.

He was relentless in how he stroked her, drawing out wet, sucking sounds from her soaked pussy and soon, she was writhing and whimpering beside him. When he felt her legs begin to shake, he stilled his hand, causing her to let out a loud huff of frustration.

“This is what happens when you make a mess, pet,” he scolded, his breath hot against her ear. She whined in protest, pressing her face into the rug beneath them, her eyes clenched tight. She craved him. More. She needed more.

“You know I have to discipline you,” he tut-ted, slowly picking up the motion again, re-stoking he flame kindling between her legs. His fingers were smooth and warm and perfect, playing her with practiced ease. Over and over, he brought her right to the edge, only to deny her the release she craved. 

“Please, sir,” she groaned out after she lost count of how many times he’d brought her close without letting her find satisfaction. Her back was slick with his own need and he rutted against her, allowing her to feel his solid length but never giving it to her.

“Are you sorry, pet?” he murmured, sucking and nipping at her neck, which only served to heighten her desire.

“Yes, sir,” she sobbed. By this time, she would give him anything- anything, so long as he filled her. And fill her he did. He sunk into her with one thrust, her dripping cunt more than ready. She was so wet, so impossibly tight. The noises she made were like a song just for him. He fucked her hard and fast, overwhelmed by his emotions. 

I love you.

The thought raced through his mind like it was the answer to a lifelong question. Like it was his greatest creation, sent to him by some heavenly muse. He needed her. Needed her to be his. Wanted everyone to know she was his and his alone. 

He pulled out of her and she cried out at the loss. He took her shoulder and rolled her onto her back, climbing on top of her so that he straddled her chest. He rubbed his slick cock against her perky breasts, squeezing them in his hands, before grabbing her by the back of her head and pulling her forward.

“Show me,” he demanded. She took the head of his cock eagerly into her mouth, pumping the shaft with her hand. He tasted like her and it pleased something primal inside her. Her tongue danced across the sensitive underside as she sucked him hard. It didn’t take long before she saw the muscles in his stomach twitch and tighten and she felt him go rigid above her. Something in his eyes had changed, although she couldn’t be sure what in her desire induced haze. He pulled out of her mouth and batted her hand away, lacing his fingers in hers and squeezing them tightly, an incredibly tender feeling gesture considering the vulgarity of what they were doing. He circled his cock with his other hand, bent over her, shaking as he stroked himself.

“Say it again. Say you belong to me, Rey,” he panted, the words sounding desperate, even to his own ears. Theirs was not a dynamic in which he would say “please” but she heard it all the same. And as she felt his hand holding hers firmly, she knew that this was something important- that he needed to hear her say it. For whatever reason, he needed this reassurance now.

“I’m yours,” she whispered, hazel eyes meeting green. She opened her mouth and showed him her tongue, ready for his seed, and the sight sent him reeling as he painted her face and chest with his cum.

“Mine,” he murmured, face still contorted with pleasure. His spend dripped down her cheek, a mirror image of the icing she’d sullied him with in the kitchen. Dazed, he dragged his fingers through it, pushing a glob into her waiting mouth and groaning when she sucked his finger clean. The image she presented, red cheeked and wanton beneath him, covered in his cum, made him shiver. He imagined parading her around like that for the world to see, to know that she was _his_. It should have been a shameful thought but instead, all he felt was deep satisfaction.

Her hand running up his thigh brought him back to reality and he moved down her body, sucking the tawny brown peak of one of her nipples into his mouth, rolling the other between his fingers until it stiffened. He kissed his way down until he was pulling her legs over his shoulders.

“My good girl,” he murmured against her inner thigh. She twitched and whined, frantic to cum already after waiting so long. 

“Yes, please, oh, _please_ ,” she begged, and how could he deny her when she begged so prettily for him, all covered in his seed? His mouth attacked her, licking and sucking her into a frenzy. She was drenched, after being teased so much. He lavished her with long licks to start but soon focused on her clit, knowing just how to please her. She’d done so well and he would happily reward her good behavior. He pressed into her, giving her both dizzying pressure and sweet, wet flicks of his tongue. Her hands found his hair of their own accord and in short order, he had her trembling beneath him as he sucked her clit. She gasped and thrust against his face when he found just the right pressure and he kept it up until she came crashing down around him, a rambling string of yes and his name escaping her lips. He worked her through her orgasm until her cries turned to mewls and then he sat up, wiping his chin with the back of his hand and smirking at her.

“See how much nicer it is when you behave?” he murmured, placing a gentle kiss on her knee. She let out a puff of laughter, rolling slightly on the rug, still catching her breath. She thought about teasing him over how disheveled he looked but she felt like she’d just run a marathon and the fire was warm and all she wanted was to be near him.

She didn’t have to tell him, he was already pulling her close. Apparently, the drying cum on her face and chest didn’t bother him as much as having icing wiped on his cheek, which she thought was odd but she decided not to dwell on his motivations because he was letting her use his arm for a pillow and damn, it felt so good to be naked by the fire. 

Millicent looked on in what was very likely disgust from under the tree where two lone presents sat. They laid in front of the fireplace, just quietly watching the flames roll over the logs. The only other light in the room came from the tree. It was a beautiful scene, one Rey had dreamt of experiencing once or twice. She felt Hux’s hand twine itself around her own and she looked up to see he was staring at her with an odd expression. He wanted to say something, she could tell.

“Rey,” he began. His pensive expression made her heart leap into her throat. Was he…?

“I-,” his eyes darted over her face, a game of ping pong with her features. He struggled, but with what she hesitated to let herself guess.

“I’m glad you’re here,” he finished at last. She blinked once. Twice.

“Me too,” she whispered back with a soft smile before relaxing in his arms again. They stayed there until Hux started to fall asleep and insisted they get up off the floor and go shower and get in bed like _normal people_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was going to be much longer but I decided to split it into two chapters. Next one should be up in a few days.
> 
> Also:
> 
> Ginger lingerie designer. Ginger lingerie designer. Ginger lingerie designer. Ginger lingerie designer. Ginger lingerie designer.


	17. And That's Enough

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is one of the very first chapters I planned and I'd like to dedicate it to all the wonderful Reyux shippers who keep me going as well as the perverts on the Reylux Discord who are a constant source of inspiration.
> 
> If you're into Rey/Hux or Rey/Kylo/Hux, please go check out my other recent contributions to the Reyux tag as well as the fics written for the Reylux Spring Swap, of which yours truly wrote two!

There was a weight on his torso. He tried to shift but it wouldn’t move. It’s warm and…giggling. His face contorted in annoyance.

“Huuux,” she hummed, a sing-songy schoolyard iteration of his name. Slowly, he peeled one eye open, the morning light making it difficult to focus. The weight spoke.

“It’s Christmas,” she laughed, bending down to kiss him. 

Rey.

It’s Christmas morning and he’s with Rey. 

His hands glided up her legs until they came to rest on her hips. He returned her kisses, small chaste pecks that she started to trail along his stubble covered cheek. 

“I made French toast,” she smiled, nuzzling into the sleepy warmth of his neck. He closed his eyes again. He thinks this could be a dream. But then she bounced off of the bed and began to pull him up by the wrist and he knew it wasn’t. He let out a loud groan. Hux is normally an early riser but they’d woke up in the middle of the night and she goaded him into fucking her again. Not that he needed much encouragement.

After brushing his teeth with her peeking from the doorway with an impish grin, he stumbled behind her to the kitchen groggily and was happy to see a pot of hot tea on the counter. He poured himself a cup and sat at the counter while she plated an obscenely large helping of French toast with bacon and fruit for him. He sent up a silent prayer to his arteries. At least there was fruit. 

She sat beside him and smothered her entire plate in maple syrup. The fruit lost any health factor it’d offered. He laughed a little into his cup of tea, watching her stuff a huge piece of syrup laden toast into her mouth. 

“Wut?” she asked, mouth full of food. He just shook his head.

“Thank you for breakfast,” he conceded in the face of her child-like antics. Warmth bloomed in her chest and she gave him a quick smile before immediately turning to her food with laser focus. Last night…she was sure he was going to say- no. No, he wouldn’t say that.

It was a big shock when he’d asked her to have Christmas with him but that didn’t mean he loved her. Sure, they’d been more open about their feelings and were in a relationship but it’s not the same thing. The very thought of the word made her throat tight. This wasn’t like that. They were just…dating. Ish. Just sex with an understanding in place. It was exclusive but casual. Being together doesn’t mean they’re in love. Right?

How would she feel if he _had_ said it, though? She watched him from the corner of her eye as he ate, trying to pick apart his every movement like a puzzle or a mechanical bit of something from another lifetime spent tinkering under the hoods of cars in the desert. His hair was mussed, flopping down to brush the bridge of his nose. He always looked so much younger like that. Less severe, softer. She liked that she was the only one who got to see it. 

Rey always had a good imagination. It got her through a lot of sad, lonely days. She used that skill now to imagine this was an ordinary morning, that they were an ordinary couple. She imagined him turning and saying he loved her like it was the most natural thing in the world. They would laugh and dance in the kitchen, teasing each other between stolen kisses.

It was a horrible cliché. One she had no interest in pursuing. It’s not like she’d ever been in love before but she had enough brushes with it to know it wasn’t worth the pain of abandonment that surely came afterwards. Still, the winter light caught in his hair, ticking it with gold, and the hint of stubble covered his jaw, and he smiled so sincerely when Millicent jumped up into his lap, and he just looked so…

She imagined falling in love with him. Imagined a life and a home and belonging to someone forever. The she imagined what it would be like when he eventually left and it was like she’d been punched in the gut but so, so much worse. Not a one off sucker punch. An intense volley from a seasoned boxer who hit her so hard she threw up. Maybe she hadn’t thought this spending Christmas with your complicated lover thing through.

They finished breakfast and Hux washed the dishes. He said it was only fair since she cooked breakfast. She went into the living room and turned on her Christmas playlist and, of course, the fireplace, which she loved. He watched as Millicent followed sneakily after her. He noticed with some amazement that the tabby had gotten rather attached to his now frequent houseguest. She was always somewhat of a skittish cat but Rey seemed to have a way of bringing down one’s guard.

He refilled his cup of tea and joined her on the couch. She looked at him expectantly, knees pulled up to her chest and biting her lip, eyes sparkling with child-like excitement. He set his tea down with a smile.

“I suppose I’m to play Father Christmas, then?” he chimed, amused, and went to the tree to fetch their gifts. Her grin widened.

“Of course, daddy,” she laughed. He nearly tripped over the rug and muttered something about how she deserved nothing but coal. He handed her the long, obviously professionally wrapped box containing her gift and she clutched it, barely concealing her wonder at its size. He returned to his seat beside her with his own modestly sized gift in hand, something soft she’d wrapped incredibly poorly, bizarrely covered in tape. It seemed she wasn’t perfect at everything after all.

“You first,” she said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, nervous now that maybe her gift wouldn’t measure up to his. He gave a light shrug and gingerly began to pull apart the muddle of brightly colored paper and scotch tape. She watched his hands move with bated breath. Cheerful holiday jazz played and the fire crackled. Not for the first time, she felt rather like they had stepped into the cover of a Christmas card.

When he’d gotten most of the paper off, he saw that it was something knit and a lovely shade of jade green- a sweater?

“Rey, this is beautiful, is this cashmere-,” he stopped short as the sweater unfolded fully to reveal rows of orange cat faces.

“It is!” she exclaimed, proud of her choice in yarn. “I…I made it myself,” she admitted shyly, her cheeks going rosy. “It’s Millicent! See?”

He looked from the horrid design back to her stupidly beautiful, perfect, angelic face, all glowing with pride- fuck.

“I can’t wait to wear it,” he said haltingly, a little shred of his dignity dying inside. It really was impressive that she’d knit it herself and it felt expensive and well made, he told himself consolingly. Then she smiled at him brighter than the sun and yeah, okay. He was going to wear this thing.

“So? Open yours,” he chuckled uneasily, setting aside his gift. 

She looked at the package in her lap as if she’d forgotten it was even there, too wrapped up in watching him open his own. She carefully peeled away the ribbons and tape, brimming with curiosity. What on earth could he have gotten her that was so big and heavy? She hoped it wasn’t something too costly, but then again, he had bought her a couple thousand dollars worth of clothes so she didn’t put it past him. She lifted the lid to the box and gasped comically, dropping it to the floor as she pulled the present out of its package.

“Hux,” she breathed, at a loss for words as her hand glided over the textured wood. It was a skateboard, stamped with the logo of a luxury brand she’d only read about in magazines. She flipped it over and examined the wheels. It was a complete set and it felt heavy and durable. It was totally different from her own board, a reliable but cheap standby mode of transportation she picked up for a steal when she first moved to the city. 

“I had to go to some shop below 14th street to get that,” he chimed, sounding proud of the lengths he’d gone to. To be fair, he put himself through a good deal of trouble, researching designer skateboard brands and venturing into The Village. 

“Thank you,” she whispered, running her fingers over the smooth underside. He felt his heart speed up, unspeakably pleased that she liked his gift. 

Before he could say “please don’t skateboard in my home,” she took off rolling down the hall, testing it out. He heard the distant sound of clattering wheels on hardwood.

“These floors are mahogany,” he grumbled.

“What?” she called out, skating by into the kitchen.

“Nothing,” he sighed, watching Millicent climb into the discarded box and bat at the paper. Rey came sliding back into the room, popping up off her new board and jumping over the back of the sofa to join him again because apparently, someone was raised in a barn. But then she was in his lap, kissing him, and all thoughts of her ill mannered upbringing melted away. She was so good at that, damn it.

“Happy Christmas,” she smiled against his lips. His hands came up to rest on her hips and he kissed her back tenderly.

“Happy Christmas,” he replied in turn.

They watched Christmas movies the rest of the morning and well into the late afternoon. How many of these did she own, anyway? At some point, she got up to start fixing dinner but he remained pinned to the sofa, oddly hypnotized by the garish cartoon characters determined to save the holiday from some villainous scheme. He was wearing the sweater, solely for the delighted look she gave him when he tried it on. Perhaps it was because he’d never watched enough Christmas specials as a child but when one ended, he couldn’t help but put in another. He was halfway through a terrible joint He-man and She-Ra holiday film when the doorbell rang.

The mesmerizing hold of the TV broke as he turned to the direction of the front door quizzically. He wasn’t expecting anyone and it couldn’t be the mailman. Rey popped her head into the living room, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel. 

“Was that the doorbell?” she asked. He headed to the front door and she trailed behind him curiously. When he opened the door, his heart dropped into his stomach. This morning, he’d thought he was living in a dream. Now, it had turned into one of his nightmares.

“Armitage.”

Rey peeked over his shoulder. There was an elderly man with sandy grey hair and a dour expression clad in all black. Hux didn’t say anything; didn’t move. The man cleared his throat.

“Commander,” he managed at last.

“It’s bloody cold out,” he replied stiffly, hands clasped behind his back. Hux considered closing the door in his face but against his better judgment, he stepped aside to let the old man in. Christ, when had he gone soft?

The surly grey haired man brushed the snow from his coat and hat as his eyes landed on Rey. She looked between the two men, noticing that they shared several features, although the elder was a bit shorter and stocky in his age.

“Who’s this?” he asked, pointing at Rey rudely with his thumb.

“This is- my…,” he paused, and squaring his shoulders, moved to stand by the confused brunette still holding a dish towel. He placed a protective arm around her. “This is Rey. Rey, this is my father, Commander Hux.”

After a moment of stunned silence, she held out her hand for him to shake. “How do you do?” she asked, bewildered. He didn’t shake her hand and instead, threw his son a disapproving look.

And it was with that level of awkwardness that the evening continued. They ended up seated in the living room. Both Huxs had glasses of whiskey in their hands and matching miserable expressions. Rey had a cup of cocoa and Millicent sat in her lap. The elder Hux drew a critical eye over the green and orange cat covered sweater his son wore before turning his unhappy gaze to Rey’s Christmas Story themed pajamas. He took in the cheerful holiday décor. Rey’s playlist was still going in the background. It was currently on Frosty the Snowman. She sipped her cocoa and tried to conceal an uneasy cough. A vein had popped out on Hux’s forehead she’d never seen before and one of his lower eyelids was twitching sporadically. His mouth was set firmly in a deep scowl. Finally, his father broke the silence.

“Your mother’s passed,” he said, taking a drink. Rey’s eyes shot to Hux, a lump forming in her throat at the shocking revelation. His shoulders tensed but then immediately relaxed. He pulled a cigarette from the coffee table dispenser and lit it.

“So Maratelle’s given up the ghost, hm? What a pity. My condolences to you and your children,” he replied evenly.

“Show some respect, boy,” his father demanded, straightening in his chair. To her surprise, Hux only quirked a hint of a smile and took a drag from his cigarette; the picture of relaxation for someone who just received news of the death of a family member.

“Alcohol poisoning, I should think?” he asked unceremoniously, as if they were discussing the weather or what he’d had for lunch that day. His father’s face went a violent shade of maroon.

“Natural causes!” he shouted, slamming his glass down on the table by the sofa, causing the lamp there to shake. In the kitchen, a timer went off and Rey nearly jumped out of her skin.. 

Easing Millicent off her lap, she darted to the kitchen, practically fleeing the room that crackled with tension like electricity in a stormy sky. She turned off the oven and slid on the oven mitts, pulling the dish out before bending over the counter and taking a moment to try to process what was happening. The thing about family drama is, when you don’t actually have a family, you’re very unprepared for it. After drawing a shaking breath, she padded back into the living room, moving like she might set off some booby trap if she wasn’t careful. The two men remained silent, seemingly having a staring match.

“I’ve- I’ve just made a roast, if- um,” she faltered. This was not going to be easy.

-

The meal was every bit as painfully uncomfortable as Rey had expected and more. Commander Hux had spent the whole time complaining that the roast was over-seasoned and extolling his elder son’s military heroism, throwing in the more than occasional unsubtle hint that he was disappointed in Armitage’s career of choice. She’d bit her tongue through it all, shocked that Hux hadn’t exploded by now. Instead, he looked bored and irritated. Murderous, perhaps, at times, but never showed any indication of losing his temper at the churlish old prig. How could he stand it?

“How old are you?” his father asked brusquely, pointing his knife in Rey’s direction as he shoveled pumpkin pie into his mouth, even though he’d just complained about it being too _American_.

“Twenty-two,” she answered, looking caught off guard by the sudden question. He sniggered in a derisive, ugly way.

“Armitage has a nephew who's twenty-one, you know,” he told her. She had not known. She saw Hux’s fist clench under the table.

“Just joined The Royal Navy. That’s one more Hux in Her Majesty’s service, at least,” he sniffed, taking another bite of the pie he supposedly disliked.

“How nice,” Rey murmured unconvincingly. 

“He’s got another nephew, and a niece, both in university. Not that he would know, never calls. Ungrateful child,” he grumbled.

“What for?” Hux snorted, “Apparently you show up unannounced on my doorstep now. Should I expect Brendol and Lavinia for New Year’s, then?”

“None of your mouth,” his father snapped, fixing him with a fuming stare and a crooked finger pointed in warning before turning back to his dessert. “I took the time to come here to tell you about your poor mother’s passing, you think you could muster some manners.”

“Surely you’ve heard of a phone, Commander,” he scoffed.

“Brendol is stationed in Canada,” he explained. “I’m on my way to see him.”

“Ah, so a layover, was it?” Hux muttered coldly, swirling his glass in his hand and watching the liquid churn with a bored expression.

“The funeral is in two weeks,” he told him, ignoring his son’s quip. Hux stilled.

“You don’t actually expect me to attend?” he asked incredulously. “I’m not going to drop everything to fly to London. Besides, Maratelle would roll over in her grave with shame if I showed my face.”

“This is not a request,” he boomed, face turning red once again. “You will be there, boy. That’s an order.”

Hux nearly laughed out loud. “You know, Commander, the wonderful thing about my chosen profession is,” he leaned over the table, “I don’t take orders from you.”

“You always acted like you were so smart,” his father sneered. “Top of your class at the academy. And now look at you. Playing with women’s underwear, for God’s sake,” he muttered angrily, cutting the pie with more force than necessary. “A goddamned deviant.”

Rey couldn’t take anymore.

“Armitage is one of the most respected designers in the industry,” she bit out defensively. “His work is inspired. He’s more than just a designer, he’s an artist.” 

The world seemed to go still. Hux stared at her, his mouth hanging open slightly in something like awe. His father wiped his mouth with his napkin, glaring at Rey with faded green eyes; a cruel mockery of her lover’s.

“You’d better set your whore straight, boy,” he ground out menacingly. Now, that, Hux wouldn’t abide. He rose from his chair, plates clattering at the abrupt movement. Before he could say anything, though, Rey was already speaking, her voice dripping with a venom so unlike her usual sweet lilt.

“Where do you get off? Who behaves this way when they’re invited into someone’s home and fed dinner? I don’t care if you’re his father, you’re not going to sit here and attack him in his own home,” she seethed. “He’s taken your revolting behavior in stride, with more grace than any man could hope to muster, and you sit here and insult him?”

Hux’s eyes widened at her outburst. He’d never seen Rey so furious, not even when he’d fucked up and almost lost her. The Commander clenched his hands, eyes boring holes into the young girl’s own where she sat across from him. 

“Do you think you have a place in this conversation? He’ll leave you. Just like all his other little sluts and dalliances,” he spat cruelly. Rey’s heart leapt into her throat, the chink in her armor found. As if he was a predator who’d sensed his prey’s weakness, the vile lowlife smirked and struck again. 

“He was always a weak willed boy. Thin as a slip of paper and just as useless,” he hissed, cold eyes narrowing at his son who stood with shaking fists. 

“Get out,” Rey demanded before either of them could start arguing again. They both looked at her in astonishment.

“I beg your pardon?” the pale faced, elderly man glowered.

“I think you’d better leave,” she told him confidently, standing and pointing in the direction of the front door. He’d successfully uncovered her weak spot but he’d made a mistake in insulting the man she loved again and her anger overtook her nerves. He pressed his lips together and grasped the arms of the dining room chair, standing slowly, then finished off his drink and pounded the empty glass down onto the table.

“I always knew you’d be a disappointment,” he spat at Hux one last time before ambling out of the room. A moment passed in tense silence before they heard the front door open and slam shut. Hux felt arms encircle his waist and he looked down to see Rey hugging him tightly.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured into his sweater. He wasn’t sure what she was sorry for but he returned the hug all the same, tucking her under his chin and letting that familiar scent of Rey calm him. 

They cleared the table and washed the dishes together. She rinsed while he dried and put them away. The house felt warmer now that it was just the two of them again. It was so banal and domestic, doing the dishes together. But somehow, it relaxed him. He was used to his father being a bastard. Hearing him deride Rey had infuriated him, though. Now, he was next to her, quietly putting up the dishes and he thought that this- this was what family should feel like. This felt like home.

They went to bed and sought comfort in each other’s arms. Her kisses soothed away his lingering ire at his father. At his family. At the life he’d been dealt. They caressed each other and shared long, tender kisses, but in a softer way than their usual sexually charged routine. Neither of them made any move to remove the other’s clothes or do more than just lay with each other. 

He ran his fingers through her hair absentmindedly, thinking about how she’d defended him earlier. Being supported like that was…new for him. It had made his heart swell. In that moment, if you’d told him she was a heavenly being molded by the gods from a beam of light, he would have believed it. She was nothing short of phenomenal. He pressed a kiss to her forehead, in silent worship.

From where she lay beside him, Rey also reflected on the evening, face flushing as she remembered her words. When his father had said those awful things about him, there was no denying it. She loved him. It scared her. More than anything. She was wholly unprepared for this. She tried not to let that asshole’s words get to her but still…a little voice in her head told her to be ready. To prepare herself for when she’d be left alone again. 

_Everyone leaves_.

“Rey?” Hux asked, drawing her out of her self-destructive train of thought.

“Hm?” she murmured.

“She wasn’t my mother,” he whispered above her. He didn’t explain. She didn’t pry. She just nodded and shifted in closer.

“I’m sorry,” he spoke again after a moment of thought.

“For what?” she asked, frowning against his chest.

“That your Christmas was ruined,” he sighed. He’d let many of his father’s failings go but upsetting Rey crossed a line. She tilted her head up beneath him.

“Hux…no,” she gasped softly, “No, I’m- I’m happy I spent Christmas here.” She pressed her face to his neck. “My Christmas was wonderful. I was with you.”

She couldn’t see it, but Hux’s eyes flew open at her admission. Was that? Did she mean? 

No. He kicked himself mentally.

She cared for him, of course. He knew that. They were, well, together, after all. He couldn’t let himself think it meant more than that. It wasn’t practical and Hux valued pragmatism too much to get carried away by a useless fantasy. 

So, instead, he let himself enjoy this for what it was. He turned his head down to capture her lips. He thought he heard her breath catch.

“Happy Christmas, Rey,” he murmured, his breath ghosting across her lips.

“Happy Christmas, Hux,” she whispered in reply.


	18. I Dream I'm An Eagle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is mostly just porn. I know it and you know it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 3,000 hits?! I am humbled and flattered. Thank you so much, y'all. I can't tell you how much your comments and kudos mean to me and even if you're too shy to comment, thank you for reading anyway, you guys are what keeps me writing this crack.
> 
> Holler at me on tumblr!

High above a New York city street, Armitage Hux was bent over his sketchpad, delicate floral embroidery designs unfurling from his pen. Bright greens eyes darted over the paper, watching as hues of colors he normally strayed from covered the page. A garden was blooming under his fingers, images and prints that reminded him of a certain fabric connoisseur. But while his work resembled a sunny English garden, outside, snow and sleet poured down in the late December cold. 

Rey set down the swatches of fabric he’d asked for and he paused to pick them up. As he thumbed through them, she looked around the empty work room, making sure no one was around, and then bent to steal a kiss from him with a sly smile. The corner of his lips quirked, a dead giveaway that he loved her little touches, even though he tried to hide it. Since returning to the offic, they’d been softer with each other. It was unusual for him and new but he cherished every quick kiss and stolen caress. 

“Are you busy this weekend?” he asked softly, returning to his sketch. It was an off-handed question, not at all out of the ordinary. But unbeknownst to her, his stomach was in knots over her answer.

“Actually, I was going to take a half day off tomorrow to look at apartments with Finn,” she told him, taking the seat beside him. The scratching sound of pen on paper stopped and he looked up at her, eyebrows raising together.

“You’re moving?” he asked.

“To Manhattan,” she told him, grinning shyly. “Maybe. We’re still not sure. Our lease is up next month and we’re thinking about getting a nicer place.”

He nodded slowly. He was just fine with that. He’d never been fond of her building or neighborhood. And she’d be closer to work. And him…

“Have you seen any place you like, yet?” he asked, resuming his work.

“Not yet,” she sighed, resting her arms on the table. “It’s been hard finding a place with two bedrooms we can both agree on. Finn fell in love with this one building but they only have one bedrooms available. I think it kind of broke his heart,” she laughed, “I could tell he was already imagining bringing his boyfriend there.”

Hux swallowed. He got that sick feeling in his gut like he was going to say something stupid. Before he could stop himself, he’d already blurted it out.

“You could move in with me,” he suggested, focusing on some random point on the sketchpad with fierce intensity, unable to meet her gaze for fear of her reaction.

“The second floor goes totally unused,” he added, trying to sound practical, “There’s another master bedroom and a second study…,” he trailed off, the words dying on his tongue.

Stupid. It was so stupid. Who moved into their not-quite-boyfriend’s house after being together only three months? He clenched his jaw, mentally berating himself so loudly that he almost missed her speaking.

“Really?” she asked, the word coming out as a soft gasp. He remained tense, a coiled spring. His anger at himself ebbed away incrementally. He nodded.

“If you want,” he said in a way he hoped was casual and unaffected.

Rey stared at him, bewilderment plain on her reddening face, thankful he wasn’t looking at her. Her heart was racing a million miles an hour.

“I’ll think about it,” she said softly, managing to keep her voice from cracking but just barely. 

Hux bit his cheek and nodded again, looking focused on his work. Asking her if she wanted to move in with him had been more for her sake than his. Of course, he would love having her around morning, noon, and night, but he was determined not to make this about himself. Whatever she decided, as long as she was happy, it would be fine with him. 

He’d had a revelation ever since she’d stood up to his father for him. He wanted to be better for Rey. To be a better person. He was going to try to be worthy of someone like her. It wouldn’t be easy but it was what she deserved. He made a mental note to ask Phasma to hold a meeting about how they could source fabrics more ethically. 

The rest of the day, Rey pondered over Hux’s offer. Truthfully, she would love to live with him. She felt at home there, which was not a feeling that came easily to her. It would be so easy to move in. To wake up and see his face first thing in the morning, to go to work together. But it was dangerous. Not just because it would probably increase their chances of being discovered by their coworkers, but also because it too closely resembled the fantasy she’d had when they were eating breakfast together on Christmas morning. It was dangerous because it gave her hope that maybe there was more to this than what she’d thought. She was clearing scraps in the workroom, lost in thought, when she heard the door creak open. Phasma stood in the doorway, looking around in a way that was almost cautious.

“Oh, Ms. Phasma,” Rey said, surprised to see her there, “Hux is in his office.” She expected her to leave but instead, she merely lingered there, her hand on the doorknob.

“Is there something you need me to do?” she asked uneasily. The woman’s august presence could sometimes be intimidating.

“Yes, Ms. Sanderson, could you come to my office for a moment?” Phasma asked. She stiffened. That wasn’t good. She’d never been called in by Phasma before. The last time she was in her office was during her interview. Was this the equivalent of being sent to HR? Her stomach sank, worrying that maybe Mitaka or someone had noticed her and Hux being overly affectionate with one another and had said reported them. 

“Sure,” she croaked, staggering behind the taller woman. When they got to her office, she closed the door behind them. Rey took the seat across from her desk, her pulse pounding. Would she be fired? Or accused of using Hux to get ahead in the industry? God, what would happen to Hux?

When the older woman finally spoke, however, it was far from anything she’d feared.

“I was wondering if you have any plans for the weekend? Sunday night perhaps?” she asked with a friendly smile, her hands clasped over a manila folder on her desk.

Rey frowned. Well, that was weird. “Um. Maybe,” she answered, “I’m kind of apartment hunting with my roommate.”

“Not going out on New Year’s Eve, though? Nothing special planned for January 1st?” she pressed.

“Oh. Um. No? Not really. I’ll probably just watch the ball drop with friends and have a single glass of champagne,” she laughed awkwardly. “And I’ll be here on the 1st, of course.”

“Hm, I see. Well, that’s all, Ms. Sanderson,” she said, standing once more. Rey sat in her chair, thoroughly confused, unsure of what to say. Phasma opened the folder that was laying on her desk and turned it around, sliding it towards her.

“If you’ll excuse me, I have some things to attend to. Have a nice day, Rey,” she intoned, strolling out the door. Rey turned in her chair to watch her leave, not understanding one bit. 

She looked back at the open folder. There was a paper inside with a small photo- a recognizable redheaded figure. Her eyes ping-ponged from the door to the folder before her curiosity got the best of her. She leaned over the desk to read the paper. 

It was Hux’s personnel file. It listed his name and his job description, the date he became employed at La Premier, his contact info. She searched the paper until something caught her eye. Among his personal information, there read in bold, black print: **Birthdate: 01/01/83**.

Oh. _Oh._

Hux was turning 35 this Monday- New Year’s Day. She bit her lip. Before she could talk herself out of it, she pulled out her phone to text Finn. 

\- 

Later that evening, Hux and Rey were waiting for the elevator to take them to the lobby. She fidgeted beside him. If he noticed, he didn’t say anything. They stepped into the elevator, side by side, a well practiced routine by now. She could feel the warmth radiating from him, even through their coats. It was now or never. 

“Hux?” she asked, watching the glowing numbers change above the door. “I was wondering- if you’re not doing anything on New Year’s Eve…” 

He seemed to start a little at that. 

“Well, you can see fireworks from the roof of my building so if you want to-,” she cut herself off to add, “I’ll have the apartment to myself. I mean, if you’re not busy.” 

“Yes,” he said quickly, giving her hand a squeeze. They both spoke at the same time. 

“Do you want to-” 

“Would you like to-” 

They laughed. The elevator dinged and the doors opened. She went home with him. 

\- 

He peeled off her dress, letting it fall to the floor. She was wearing one of his designs- a sheer red lace set that made him groan and his already hard cock swell even more. She wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him deeply and his hands ventured down to her ass, pulling her against him so she could feel how hard he was for her. 

“Hux,” she moaned between kisses, “I’ve been thinking and tonight…I want to try-,” he pulled back before she got to finish, eyes wide and glistening with lustful hope, knowing what she meant. 

“Are you sure? Are you…prepared?” he breathed, his cock almost painfully hard now. She nodded and smiled and he practically growled in pleasure, capturing her lips in a rough kiss before pushing her onto the bed. He attacked her chest with his mouth, covering every inch of her freckle dappled skin with his lips. He moved down her body, making her gasp and writhe beneath him as he sucked red marks across her torso, stopping to lave over them with long licks of his tongue or tease her with his teeth. She loved when he did this, worshipping all her planes and curves with his mouth. 

“No tying tonight, darling,” he panted above her before pressing a kiss to her clit through the lace of her thong. She nodded in agreement. She lived for when he tied her up but this would be her first time exploring this particular pleasure with a partner and she wasn’t ready to give him all the control he normally held. 

He stood and went to his armoire, removing his own clothes as he went. When he returned with the necessary items for their night, all that covered him from her sight were his black boxer briefs. She watched him hungrily, biting her lip in keen excitement. With a kiss to one of her slender thighs, he pulled the lacy thong off her. He parted her dark pink lips with his fingers and couldn’t help but give her one long lick before getting started. She moaned softly, adoring the image he presented between her thighs. 

“Let’s warm you up,” he purred, pulling out the first of the toys. She wasn’t sure what it was exactly. It didn’t look like any vibrator she’d seen. It had a gold handle and a silicone ring on the front. She heard it buzz when he turned it on. 

“I got this just for you, pet,” he hummed, holding her open to expose her clit. The silicone wrapped around her little pink bundle of nerves and she gasped loudly, hips bucking of their own accord. It was like nothing she’d ever felt. Almost like being eaten out but so much more powerful. Her hands gripped the sheets below her as she twisted and convulsed. The toy sucked and vibrated and pulsed on her clit and it was practically a religious experience. 

“H-hux,” she gasped, hands flailing wildly, searching for something to grip onto. He chuckled at her reaction and grabbed a bottle of lube, letting it drip down onto her folds. She moaned at the new sensation and jerked a little when she felt him spread the slick liquid with his fingers. _This_ was what she’d been excited for and she felt her heartbeat speed up a little. 

He pressed one soft, slender finger against her puckered ring of muscle, massaging the tight hole and making her groan at the feeling. She’d experimented with this on her own but had never let anyone else do it to her and the thought of what he had planned sent another wave of pleasure coursing through her body. He applied just the barest hint of pressure, letting the tight muscles pull his finger into her warm, clenching hole until he was knuckle deep within her and he sucked in a hissing breath. His cock strained against his underwear, tenting it out, but he could be patient. He worked his finger slowly, stretching her out, rolling against the tight muscle and finding all the little movements that made her moan. 

The feeling of his finger wriggling inside her and the unbelievable pulsing of the toy on her clit almost made her cum and she had to grab his hand that was holding the toy before she reached her peak too soon. Obligingly, he turned it off and replaced it with tender, tight circles from his thumb. 

“Does that feel good, Rey?” he breathed, watching her with darkened eyes. In the dim light of the bedroom, his pale skin and bright hair stood out against the dark, like her whole world had been reduced down to his presence between her thighs. 

“Mm-hmm,” she whined, fisting her hands in the pillow under her head. The corner of his lips twisted up into a small smile, high on the knowledge that he was the one making her writhe and moan like that. Even without being tied up, he could still manage to make her feel like his puppet, subjected to his whims. He leaned down to lick and nibble at her inner thighs while continuing to work her with both his hands. He loved biting her. It was a little obsession of his, seeing the marks from his teeth on her body. He swirled his finger inside of her and teased her clit until she begged him for more. 

“More. I-I need,” she whimpered, desperate to feel stretched and full. 

“Ask nicely, darling,” he chuckled, licking up her thigh. He rut against the bed to relieve some of the pressure from his aching erection. 

“Please, sir,” she panted, rocking her hips up toward him. She felt him smile against her skin and carefully, he pulled his finger from her body. She saw him lick his lips, shivering a little in anticipation as he stared down at her. He slicked her with the lube again, making sure she’d be comfortable, before picking up a shining metal object. She watched in shock and arousal as he popped it into his mouth. 

She was about to ask him what he was doing when she realized- he was getting it warm for her. For some reason, knowing that made her squirm with desire. He pressed the wet metal plug against her glistening hole with a smirk as she whimpered in need. 

Her body seemed to draw it in of its own accord and it was…intense. She felt herself clench around the foreign intrusion and her eyes slid shut. It was heavy and firm but not as thick as she feared it would be. It was everything she’d hoped and she felt like she was soaring, like she was free under his ministrations. When it was fully situated inside her, Hux ran his hands across her thighs soothingly. 

“Alright?” he murmured, searching her face for any signs of discomfort. She met his heated gaze and nodded, cheeks tinged pink as warmth flooded her body. Fuck, she was so beautiful; all laid out for him like a treat. His tongue found her clit again and worked fervently, rolling, thrumming, devouring her. He sucked her, hell-bent on driving her to the brink. Her thighs trembled around his head as he ate her out like a man possessed, using the hand that had worked her clit to finger her, curling and teasing her walls until the was a shaking mess beneath him. She chanted his name like a supplication, so close to completion and she felt him smile that self-satisfied grin against her. 

But before she could be granted satisfaction, he pulled his mouth away. She slammed her hand down on the mattress and released a strangled cry of frustration. 

“Not yet, little girl,” he chuckled, and with one last pump of his fingers in her needy, drenched passage, he pulled away from her completely. Rey wondered how she didn’t realize she was in love with him sooner. If he had been anyone else, she would have smacked him by now. Her anger was forgotten, though, when he peeled away his underwear, releasing his throbbing manhood that bobbed toward her with promise. 

Her eyes were heavy-lidded with lust as she watched his hand circle his cock and pump the shaft, spreading the leaking precum over his tip before lining himself up with her. 

“Yes, please,” she begged, rocking against him. He groaned, all too happy to give her what she wanted as he folded himself over her. His huge hand caught her by the jaw, making her look him in the eyes as the head of his cock slid through her folds. He pressed a heated, bruising kiss to her mouth, slowly pushing into her until their hips met and she felt him shudder against her. She clenched around both him and the toy in her ass involuntarily, never having felt so full in her life. 

“Fuck- I can feel it in you,” he groaned, his head sagging against her shoulder. Her hands came up around his back, clinging to him. One of the wonderful things about not being tied up was getting to touch his smooth, unblemished skin and she was going to take full advantage. He rocked his hips back and thrust in roughly and she keened at the dizzying friction. Her nails bit into his skin and he hissed, dragging back and pushing in again, driving into her with long, slow rolls of his hips, relishing the added pressure of the hard plug in her ass. 

“God, Rey,” he rasped, willing himself not to cum as the head of his cock brushed against the toy. She whimpered and bucked beneath him, biting his shoulder in her need. She heard him draw a shaking breath beside her ear as he picked up his pace, pounding into her with more force. Her eyes rolled back in her head as a moan rose up in her throat. 

“You’re so fucking wet for me,” he groaned as his skin slapped against hers with a slick squelching sound. “My good little girl.” He bent to lay wet, open mouthed kisses on her chest, sucking at her nipples through the sheer fabric of her bra. The texture of the lace combined with his hot mouth had her reeling, meeting his thrusts with abandon as her head lulled back in pleasure. 

“Fuck, Hux,” she groaned, and he felt his balls begin to tighten at the husky sound of her voice. Her legs began to shake and he laid a steadying hand on her thigh, encouraging her to wrap her legs around him, which only made the weight of the toy more obvious for both of them, sending them higher and higher together. 

“Don’t you dare cum without being told,” he growled against her chest and she shivered at his command. Those three words- don’t you dare- they always got to her. The threat of what kind of heavenly punishment he might inflict on her for disobeying him made her cunt flutter around him. His hand snaked up her body until she felt his fingers brush against her lips. Immediately, she opened up for him and sucked his four of his fingers, still ripe with the taste of her. He cursed under his breath, watching her mouth closely as he slammed into her dripping, twitching slit. 

“That’s it,” he panted, “dirty girl.” Her body felt stretched and full beyond its limits, all of her holes being used as he fucked her mercilessly. He pulled his fingers from her mouth to steady himself on both arms as he felt his orgasm building, shocks of pleasure making his cock pulse inside her. 

“I’m going to pump you so full of my cum,” he promised, words spilling from his mouth in hazy pleasure, “it’s going to fill this pretty little cunt.” He accented those last three words with long, rough strokes of his cock and she whined and nodded eagerly. “You’re going to cum with it inside you.” 

“Yes, please- cum in me, sir! Fill me up,” she rambled, quaking beneath him from the strength of the combined sensations he heaped on her. He shouted in a way she’d never heard from him, primal and grunting as gave her just what she’d begged for, shooting his cum deep inside her. His cock twitched as his head hung beside hers, his breath ragged. His eyes were clenched tightly as sweat gathered on his forehead. He’d nearly blacked out with the force of his orgasm. Only half a beat later, he was fucking her again, cock still hard as he pushed his cum deeper into her quivering hole. 

“Let go, Rey,” he commanded as his fingers came down to brush her clit. The barest touch was all she needed and then she was right there with him, screaming as she bucked her hips against his and milking even more from his spent cock. He groaned at how her muscles pulled him deeper, not willing to let him go, and he kissed her neck and the side of her face tenderly. They were soaring a hundred miles off the ground, floating through the air. 

“God,” he moaned breathily, chest heaving from the intensity of their love making. Her body went slack against the bed as she took in great gulps of air and he brushed her hair away from her sweat-slicked forehead, kissing her there, too. She basked in his praise and gentle, caressing touches, the after-glow of orgasm swirling within her like something tangible and hot. 

He pulled out of her carefully, cooling semen following in his wake. When he sat back to look at her, he stilled. She was a work of art, legs splayed out around him, nipples poking up under the lace of her bra. His seed dripped from her puffy, reddened lips, coating the base of the plug inside her asshole, still twitching sporadically from her climax. He wrapped a finger around the ring on the base and gently pulled back, watching in fascination as it slipped out from the pink ring of clenching muscle. 

It was debauched and perverse but the only word he could summon was, “Beautiful,” his face soft with revenant wonder.  
And she smiled because she believed him. She felt beautiful. 

\- 

Saturday afternoon, Rey and Finn sat in front of the TV in their apartment, an empty box of pizza on the coffee table in front of them. 

“So what do you think?” she asked, peering at Finn nervously, fiddling with the bottle of juice in her hand. He sighed from where he sat on the couch with her feet spread across his lap and took a swig of his own drink, shaking his head. 

“I think you’re moving way too fast but I trust you,” he said, despite sounding somewhat unconvinced. 

“I mean, it makes sense. You can get that apartment you like and I’d save on my commute. It’s not like I’m moving in _with him_ , it’s more like I’m renting his upper floor,” she told him, trying to sound as matter-of-fact as possible. 

“So you’re paying rent?” he asked, quirking an eyebrow at her. She frowned. 

“Well- we didn’t really talk about…” 

“Mm-hm,” he scoffed, taking another drink. She huffed and pushed at him with her foot. 

“Do you really think it’s a bad idea?” she asked. He looked at her with concern written on his face, the cogs in his head turning. 

“Look,” he sighed, “Dude’s been good to you, right? You’re over there all the time and you seem really happy- like, _really_ happy. I’d be more worried if you guys were sharing close quarters but if you’ve really got a whole floor to yourself…go for it. You’re a big girl, you know what you’re doing.” 

A slow, soft smile stretched across her features and she reached her hand out for him to take. 

“Thanks, Finn.” 

In her mind, she started laying out the necessary preparations she’d be making for New Year’s Eve. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The toys Hux uses on Rey are a clitoral suction massager (I recommend the Satisfyer 2 if you're interested, it is truly an otherworldly experience) and a stainless steel butt plug like the Njoy Pure Plug, which is nice and heavy but easy to insert for beginners.


	19. Happy New Year

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Nothing but tooth rotting GARBAGE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's been like over two weeks since I updated and this chapter is super short and features (0) smuts. In my defense, I was out of town for one of those weeks. Oh, well. Y'all can't hate me more than I already hate myself. Enjoy this lil trash heap! <3

It was New Years Eve and the New York streets were a nightmare. By the time Hux made it to Rey’s, he was sure he was on the brink of having a stress related episode in the backseat of his Uber. She buzzed him into the apartment and he ducked inside from the bustling sidewalk, a bottle of wine swinging from the strings of the bag he held in his fist. He climbed the stairs and she was there to greet him with an excited kiss when he reached her floor.

“I know you don’t care for champagne but I thought you’d like this,” he told her, handing her the bag. She took it with a smile and pulled out the bottle to read the label.

“Sparkling mead?” she asked with a small laugh. “Isn’t that like what Thor drinks or something?”

He arched a brow at her reference but brushed it off with a shake of his head. He imagined she must be interested in Norse mythology. Nothing about her surprised him anymore so he let it go.

Really, she was just a fan of comic books.

“So,” he murmured, pulling her close by the waist, oozing his well cultivated charm. “What’ve you got planned, little one?”

She gave him a playful smile and rocked up to her tiptoes to kiss him again. He tasted of mint and smoke, a wonderful flavor profile she’d long since come to associate with him. 

“Come find out,” she teased, her body sliding against his as she sat back on her heels again. Honestly, he expected her to lead her to her bedroom- the thought of taking her in her room for the first time was a welcome one- but instead, she pulled on her heavy winter coat and picked up a cooler.

“Let’s go!” she giggled mischievously, brushing past him to the door. He followed her curiously, toting the bottle of mead. He knew she said they were going to watch fireworks on the roof but it was still too early and he worried at the prospect of standing in the frigid wind waiting until Midnight. He barely felt the cold but he knew she hated it. Still, he let her guide him up the remaining three flights of stairs to the rooftop. She opened the door and he was immediately struck by the cold night wind.

“Rey…,” he groaned, turning his face away from the freezing onslaught.

“Just trust me, come on,” she said, although her teeth chattered. They rounded the brick corner of the building’s maintenance shed and that’s when he saw when she meant. She’d built a large tent out of blankets, the inside illuminated by strings of Christmas lights.

“Is this…is this a pillow fort?” he murmured incredulously, partly because he’d never really seen one and partly because it was utterly ridiculous.

“Excuse me! This is a little more advanced than your average pillow fort,” she scoffed, guiding him inside the blanket-walled abode. He had to bend in half to get inside and he did so with no small amount of griping. Once he was seated on the cushion and blanket lined floor, though, he had to admit she was right. There was a space heater keeping the inside of the tent warm and it was surprisingly spacious and cozy.

“Alright, I’m impressed,” he murmured with a quirked eyebrow, looking around the space.

“I was almost an engineer, you know,” Rey said proudly, sticking her chin out at him with a sly smile. “I can build anything!” He let out a soft puff of laughter.

“Of course. I’m sure you took lots of classes on the art of building pillow forts.”

She gave him a slight shove and he held up his hands in a show of peaceable surrender. Satisfied, she started unpacking the cooler she’d brought up with them. Rey had never made sushi before but she was pretty proud of the bento boxes she’d made, knowing he loved Japanese food. He took the box gratefully, and when he lifted the lid he was astonished at how well made it looked. It could have easily been from a restaurant.

“You made all this?” he asked, even though he already knew the answer. He was certain by this point there was very little Rey couldn’t accomplish in the kitchen.

“I did,” she smiled, taking out their glasses and pouring the mead he’d bought for them. She sniffed it cautiously before taking a sip and he watched for her reaction with hopeful anticipation.

“Wow! This is actually really good!” she said holding her hand over her mouth in surprise as she took a closer look at the label. His chest swelled with pride at having picked something she liked. They ate and drank and talked about his ideas for the collection he was working on. Occasionally, he would allow himself to place his hand on hers, his thumb rubbing over her knuckles gently. For two people who’d been sleeping together for months, the intimacy shared between them in moments like this could still feel so forgein. Both of them were unaccustomed to these kinds of soft, tender touches and it felt like a forbidden delicacy they were indulging in. 

It felt like they were in their own little world, hidden away over the twinkling lights of Brooklyn. They had a perfect view of the horizon, the moon bright against the black sky. As it drew closer to midnight, the city hummed with noise, families and friends shouting and laughing as they made their way down the street, out of restaurants and towards the park or the bridge. Rey noticed Hux had gone strangely quiet and she set her glass of mead down to find he wore a pensive expression on his face.

“It wasn’t true, you know,” he said softly, looking out over the city, “what my father said.” She blinked at him, unsure of where this was coming from so suddenly or what exactly he’d meant.

“You’re not- that is,” he squeezed her hand, but kept his gaze cast towards the light of the park in the distance, his heart hammering in his chest. 

“I do care about you,” he said at last, blaming his newfound confidence on the mead, although he was far from drunk. With his confession, she remembered the words his father had spoken that night. How he’d so succinctly grasped onto her worst fears and ripped and rended until she felt that same old wound open up again. 

_He’ll leave you._

But now, here, he was assuring her that was not the case. He cared about her. Those simple words made her feel a hundred miles high. She laced her fingers with his and squeezed his hand in reply.

“Me, too,” she whispered, and although her voice was quiet, he heard her above the din of the city, every part of him attuned to her. His eyes finally locked with hers and he felt like an entirely different person than when he’d first met her because here she was, telling him she also cared for him, and it was everything. He was so hopelessly in love with her he wondered how he was ever able to deny it.

“Hux?” she asked, rousing him from his thoughts, “What did you mean when…when you said she wasn’t your mother?” He felt his stomach turn. His mouth went dry, unprepared for the change in topic.

“We don’t have to talk about it,” she quickly declared, sensing the change in his mood. She hadn’t meant to spoil the moment but the thought came tumbling out of her mouth faster than she could stop it. He shook he head and withdrew his hand from hers. She panicked for a moment, sure she had ruined their evening with her thoughtlessness but then he reached into his pocket and pulled out his black leather wallet. 

She watched him push aside his money to find a small piece of card tucked away. When he handed it to her, she saw that it was actually a photograph, one that appeared to be cut out from a larger image, worn around the edges and slightly aged. The woman in the photo had bright blue eyes and red hair pulled into a tight bun. She appeared to be wearing a maid’s uniform. Her face was covered in freckles and she smiled a subdued but friendly smile.

“This,” he told her, touching the edge of the small picture, “is my mother.” Her mouth fell open softly and she looked at the photo again more carefully, drinking in the woman’s features.

“Her name was Siobhan. She worked in the kitchen at my family’s manor. I only have vague memories of her. She left us when I was around five, I think. Maratelle, my father’s wife, hated her,” he said with a stern frown that because a bitter laugh.

“I was always treated differently from my siblings but I didn’t discover why until I was 11. I overheard her screaming about his _whore_. One day, I found records of her along with this staff photo when I was rummaging around my father’s study. When I confronted my father about it, his only answer was his backhand, which was answer enough.”

Rey’s eyebrows came together in concern and she felt anger well within her as she pictured a young boy with red hair and a bloodied lip.

“But then…where is she now?” she asked, looking at photo of his mother, “I mean, if you know about her, then you should be with her and-”

He held up a hand, silencing her train of thought. “Six years after I discovered the truth, I found out that she’d gone home to Ireland after being fired by Maratelle.”

Rey’s frown deepened and her forehead creased further. “So, have you…”

“No,” he answered, not bothering to slip on his normal unreadable mask. “It turned out she passed away when I was fifteen. A car crash.”

“Hux,” she breathed, tears pricking the backs of her eyes, “I’m so sorry…”

She took in his weary expression, seeming to see the wrinkles around his eyes for the first time. He seemed to search her face. For what, she couldn’t guess.

“She would have been 55 this year,” he told her, taking the photo and tucking it back into his wallet. It occurred to her then that he’d been just as alone as she has. 

“Columbus, New Mexico,” she said, offering him a sad smile. He fixed her with an bewildered stare .

“It’s where I grew up,” she explained. 

“Your accent-” he started and she laughed, shaking her head a little, her fingers fiddling with the blanket underneath them as she drew her knees up under her chin.

“I was born in Westminster. When my parents abandoned me, they left me with a man who became my legal guardian. He was…something else. We came to America when I was still very young, I suspect so he could escape some debts. He ran a chop shop on the border, trading car parts and probably drugs. I learned how to work on cars by taking them apart for him. It’s the only thing he ever did for me, other than secure my citizenship.”

“How did you get to New York?” he asked, first clenched at his side and eyes dark with barely concealed rage on her behalf.

“When I was about 17, I found my passport and birth certificate in his safe,” she shrugged. “I grabbed my things and some cash and got a ride to the nearest bus station. I took jobs here and there as I went, saving up money. Two years later, I ended up here.”

He didn’t say anything for a long time and nervousness itched its way up her spine until he moved closer and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She could smell his cologne and the faint scent of tobacco that clung to his jacket, enveloping her the way his arms did now, and there, on the cold rooftop, she felt warm in his embrace. He didn’t need to say it, because she understood. They grew up in two impossibly different worlds, but somehow the galaxy had brought them together, two lonely children who’d never known what things like love or home or family meant.

Her throat felt tight and her breath came out in small, warm puffs, moistening the brisk night air between them. She peeked up at him from beneath her lashes and studied the sharp, masculine line of his jaw, saw that his nose was tinged pink from the wintery weather. She’d never told anyone about her childhood before, other than Finn, and she wondered how it came to be that she felt so comfortable around this stern, staunch man. Somewhere between working beside him day in and day out, or sometime when she was pinned under his strong, lithe form, she’d found someone who understood her.

The sound of the rooftop door slamming shut rung out from behind their tent as people braved the cold to set up chairs and huddle under blankets with noise makers and bottles of wine. Hux looked at his watch.

“Almost time,” he uttered softly. She nodded and smiled at him, inching closer under his arm. He let his eyes drift shut a moment and brushed his lips against the top of her head, not really kissing her, but more resting them there, still sort of in shock over what she’d revealed to him about her childhood. He’d known he’d had it rough but he couldn’t imagine going through what she’d survived on her own. And still, she could look at him with that blinding smile and manage to be that same, genuinely happy Rey. 

Rey, who would slip his afternoon tea into his hand without him asking when he was stressed at work, who had made them matching Halloween costumes, who built blanket forts on rooftops to watch fireworks. How anyone could go through life the way she had and still push forward one hundred percent, he didn’t know. He more than loved her. He admired her.

“One more minute!” she giggled excitedly, as the alarm blinking **11:59** on her phone rang. A smile spread across his features. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d spent New Year’s Eve with anyone he’d actually wanted to be around. There had been parties with business connections and people whose cards he kept filed away in his desk. There had even been a few lovers he’d shown delicious, depraved pleasure, oblivious to the noise and light of the celebrations outside. 

But sitting in this silly blanket fort with Rey, the buzz of Brooklyn drifting up to the rooftop, the comfort they drew from one another…this was new. And if you’d told him this was how he’d be spending the moments leading up to his 35th birthday a few months ago, he’d probably scowl in disgust. Yet here he was, watching the hands of his Hugo Boss watch tick by with his arm around a girl he’d foolishly expected to be nothing more than a pleasant distraction and there was nowhere else on earth he’d rather be.

“TEN!”

The whole city seemed to roar to life. She chanted along with the crowds, elbowing him until he joined in with a roll of his eyes and a sigh that he couldn’t make sound as truly exasperated as he’d wanted it to.

“NINE!”

“EIGHT!”

She laughed as they counted, moving to straddle his lap and throwing her arms around his neck.

“SEVEN!”

“SIX!”

“FIVE!”

He watched her with pure, unhidden adoration, her giggling teasing out his own amusement until he was laughing too, his hands resting on her hips.

“FOUR!”

“THREE!”

“TWO!”

“ONE!”

Her lips descended upon his. The crowds screamed out their New Year’s salutations and children banged on pots and pans. The chorus of Auld Lang Syne curled around them on the wind as thrilling explosions rang out into the air. Hux was only peripherally aware of the colors blooming across the dark of the sky outside, even as Rey turned to watch them.

 _I love you_ , he thought, but he was struck mute. The words wouldn’t come. She felt warm and soft under his fingers. Her hair was falling over her shoulder and the lights from the fireworks played in it, creating a Technicolor halo around her head. The moment was something straight from a dream, and he couldn’t interrupt it with his words. Not now. Because if he did, and she rejected him, the dream would end. There were a lot of things Hux could bear, but that would not be one of them. So instead, he held her close and watched the fireworks explode over the park and the bridge. He resolved then that he would tell her someday. But this…this he needed to last a little longer. 

When the display came to an end, he gave Rey one of his rare smiles and she felt her cheeks warm. People outside their little private world laughed and talked excitedly and they could hear the shuffling of chairs and feet as the last selfies and well wishes of the evening were sent before they sought shelter from the cold, returning to their warm apartments to drink and carry on indoors.

“What now?” he asked, his voice husky as he leaned in closer, his lips hovering above her own. Instead of meeting him in the heated kiss he’d hoped for, however, the younger woman placed one slender finger against his mouth.

“One second,” she laughed, a sly grin lighting up her features. “Close your eyes.”

He raised an eyebrow at her command. Well, that was a change in their dynamic. Not that he would complain if that’s what she wanted tonight.

“Indulge me, sir?” she asked, dripping with sweetness, spreading her hands across his shoulders for added swaying power. With a twitch of his jaw, he complied, his golden lashes coming down to brush the tops of his cheeks. He heard her open the lid of the cooler she’d brought. His mind conjured up a dozen dirty fantasies, each one making him more antsy than the last, his member beginning to stir with interest. Then there was the unmistakable sound of a lighter flicking. A line wrinkled on his forehead as he wondered what she was doing. From behind his eyelids, he could perceive warm light growing.

“Rey…,” he grumbled, his curiosity near to burst.

“Okay, okay,” she giggled, “open your eyes.”

The first thing he saw was the flickering light of tiny flames. 

Once his eyes were fully open, he went completely still. A half a beat passed in silence before he heard Rey’s nervous murmuring.

“Hux? Are you- is this okay?”

He remained focused on the words in front of him written in pink frosting. “ **HAPPY BIRTHDAY** ", surrounded by strawberries and candles. 

“How did you know?” he asked, the words coming out softer than he’d intended.

“Phasma may have had something to do with it,” she smiled hesitantly. He gave a soft snort, only somewhat surprised. His coworker saw right through them. He should have expected that.

“Well? Are you going to blow out the candles?”

Verdant eyes, gleaming in the soft glow of the firelight found her own, staring at her with intensity.

“What?” she breathed shakily, the wind suddenly knocked out of her under his scrutinizing gaze.

“I’m making a wish,” he answered, licking at his lips.

_Move in with me._

He leaned forward and blew out the candles and the tent was illuminated only by the cool white of the Christmas lights once again. 

“Happy Birthday, Hux." 

He took the kiss he’d hoped for then, his hand coming up to cup her face, thumb tracing the sharp line of her jaw as he swallowed her soft moan. He sucked at her lower lip, relishing its softness and caressing it with his eager tongue. Her own hand found its way to the back of his neck and he nearly groaned when he felt her fingernails rake through his hair. 

“Do I get to unwrap my present yet?” he sighed into the kiss, earning him a grin. 

“Cake first,” she laughed, pressing against his chest with her small hand. He leaned back, pulling away from her warmth and tenderness begrudgingly. She cut the small cake and handed him a piece and he had to admit, it was a decent enough consolation for the time being. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a birthday cake. 

The noise from the streets below them still filled the night but things seemed almost quiet now without the explosion of rockets and voices outside their tent. Rey nibbled a strawberry thoughtfully. She never _nibbled_ anything. His lips quirked around the cake fork in his hand. 

“Penny for your thoughts,” he hummed, savoring the delicate sponge cake. 

“You know how you said I could…you know, about how you don’t use your second floor and since I’m looking for a place to live in Manhattan…,” she trailed off, worried now that she sounded foolish, her face positively burning as she dissected the desert in front of her with her fork, pushing a glob of icing around her plate. 

Hux swallowed, only just managing not to spit out his mouthful of birthday cake. 

“Yes?” he coughed, sure he was moments away from a heart attack. 

“If the offer’s still on the table,” she said with an awkward laugh. 

“It is,” he cut in a mite too quickly, surprising her. 

“Oh.” 

"So…” 

“If you’ll have me-” 

“I’ll have you.” 

The moon shone high above them. All over the city, couples kissed. Families laughed together. The air was crisp and cold and brimming with possibilities and promises. It was a new year. Armitage Hux had just turned 35. 

And he’d gotten everything he’d wished for. 


	20. When I Doubt, You're My Belief

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's smut. Now with feelings! And a poor excuse for plot!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 4000 hits?! On a REYUX FIC? I'm deceased and this is what killed me. All of your comments are so sweet, y'all are what keep me writing this trash. *wipes away a tear*

Ulysses Snoke was a calculating man. He sat at his wide, dark desk, thumbing at the gold ring on his aged, knobby finger in contemplation. He was a shrewd businessman, willing to do whatever it took to get to the top. Of all his business ventures, his foray into the world of haute couture fashion was the most legal and above board. The current demand for it had proved even more lucrative than he could have hoped.

“Mr. Snoke,” a voice chimed over his intercom. “Mr. Peavy is here with the files, sir.”

“Send him in,” he replied, pressing down a button to speak to his secretary. A somewhat stocky man in a blue suit stepped into the room with a large presentation folio under his arm and several files in his other hand.

“Mr. Peavy, please have a seat,” he droned, gesturing to one of the armchairs across from his own. The impassive man nodded minutely, setting down his folders and taking the offered seat.

“I see Hux isn’t with you today,” Snoke noted sourly. “I hope our boy isn’t getting lax.”

“I’m sure he had pressing matters to attend to, sir,” he hummed, opening the large folder and turning it towards the tall, imposing figure before him. “Here are the latest designs as well as designer’s statements and plans for our next floorshow.”

Snoke pulled the folder closer, pale blue eyes sweeping over the sketches of light hued lingerie, delicately detailed with romantic flourishes of flora and fauna. He sneered.

“Something wrong, sir?” Datoo asked. Snoke sat back in his high backed leather chair, glowering at the designs in front of him. 

“I think I’ll have a discussion with Mr. Hux about the new…creative direction he’s taken,” he mused darkly. “That will be all for now, Peavy.”

The tired looking man nodded again, collecting the papers and folders before taking his leave. Once he was gone from the room, Snoke jabbed at a button on his phone with one thin finger harshly.

“Yes, Mr. Snoke?” his secretary called from the speaker.

“Have we heard back from Mr. Ren yet?” he demanded, his raspy voice slicing through the silence of his office like a knife. His secretary hesitated.

“No, sir,” she answered after a moment of tension, knowing the man on the other end of the intercom would not be pleased.

“Then call him _again_ ,” he insisted. “And remind him just how much La Premier could do for help his career. Or hurt it.”

“Yes, sir.”

-

“In what world is this clothing?” Hux scowled, holding up a t-shirt with the collar cut off. It had the cover of an album he didn’t recognize on it. There were holes under the arms and the stitching had come completely undone on the hem. Rey snatched it away from him, folding it carefully and placing it in the open drawer in front of her.

“You never know when you need an old shirt for doing stuff around the house, ok? Don’t you have any old clothes?” she huffed defensively. When you grow up poor, the idea of just throwing out anything that might still be useful is utterly asinine. The look on his face told her he had no idea what she was talking about, though, and she returned to her task with a shake of her head.

Finn had settled nicely into his own place and she’d had fun helping him move. Moving in with Hux had been…less fun. Boxes lay haphazardly about the bedroom. A few were still filled with things from her apartment but they were making progress.

She was thrilled at how spacious the upper floor of his brownstone was. The classic architecture was carried throughout the home and although the rooms were only sparsely furnished, she delighted in the luxuriousness of it all. To Rey, it might as well have been her very own castle. She nearly wept when she saw the claw foot tub.

They had gone shopping together for the new things she needed. Mostly little things since she’d always shared Finn’s stuff and had no real need to ever buy her own, but also some furniture. Hux had been happy to help her move in, absolutely over the moon to have her so close. Then they went to Ikea.

The trip to the land of Swedish bookshelves and bed frames had nearly destroyed them. First, he objected to the very idea of buying furniture there, suggesting a few pricey boutiques where he’d collected his own home furnishings instead. However, driving all around New York looking for _just_ the right Rococo inspired armoire was not Rey’s idea of a Sunday well spent. So to IKEA, they went. Rey’s choices in furniture actually complimented what he’d already owned, much to his approval. Then they got to the checkout and found another reason to argue, to the dismay of the cashier who was certainly not being paid enough to be privy to this strange lover’s spat. Hux had insisted on buying everything but Rey would have none of it. It was the first time she could ever afford these kinds of things and when she impressed that upon Hux, he gave in, if only to enjoy the look of pride on her face. She slapped her credit card down, grinning from ear to ear.

After lunch, they met the delivery people at the apartment and spent the rest of the day completing her bedroom. Now, he was helping her unpack. Sort of. Mostly, he was just eyeing her wardrobe distastefully. Still, she was here, in his space, taking up room and making herself at home, and he found himself wholly at peace.

“I think I’m about done for the day,” she said, heaving a sigh and closing the drawer before letting herself fall back, spreading out on the floor in exhaustion. Hux absentmindedly ran his hands through her loose chestnut waves and murmured his agreement from where he’d been sitting beside her, handing her clothes.

“Pizza?” he asked, retrieving his phone from his pocket. On nights like these, when she was wiped out, she always asked him to order a pie and he’d eventually developed a sort of sixth sense for when she was in the mood for one.

She grinned up at him and a smile twitched in the corner of his mouth. Yep. Hux knew his girl.

-

“Ugh, I’m full,” Rey groaned, sinking into the couch. Hux smirked wickedly, thinking of filling her in other ways. It didn’t go unnoticed. 

“Oh, ha ha,” she puffed before he could get the joke out, slapping his arm. A extra large pizza box lay on the floor by the sofa, now empty. He was itching to dispose of it but then she curled up against him and she was just so _cozy_.

Rey had convinced Hux to watch an _anime_ and while it served to remind him he was hardly a millennial, she chose one that she promised had plenty of gore and horror for him. True to her word, it had managed to keep his attention. When the credits began to roll, he lifted the remote to start the next episode, only to realize they had reached the end of the season.

“ _That’s it?_ ” he complained, expression souring as he flipped through the episodes on the screen. Rey could hardly suppress her laughter.

“You _liked_ it,” she teased. He straightened up, passing her the remote, refusing to acknowledge the fact that he had enjoyed the show, even a little. He crossed his arms childlishly.

“I just don’t see how four episodes constitutes a season,” he complained. She giggled at him, setting the remote aside and sliding into his lap, giving him a small peck on the jaw in apology.

“I can make it up to you,” she murmured, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Is that so?” he hummed back, letting his hands wander over her hips to cup her round bottom, giving it a firm squeeze. He’d always considered himself a breast man, but damn if she didn’t have a perfect peach for an ass.

“Yes, sir,” she sighed against his lips before pulling his plush lower one between her teeth and sucking. He groaned and returned the kiss, pushing his hips up to grind his rapidly stiffening cock against her hot center. She tasted like pizza and was a bit of a mess from the day’s activities. He found he didn’t mind one bit.

“Off,” he instructed, tugging at her grungy tank top. She leaned back to pull the soft, worn fabric up and over her head, exposing her black, strappy bra. Rey had replaced almost all of her usual dull underwear for enticing lingerie, most of it designed by Hux. She donned it now no matter what the occasion, and today was no exception. He moaned gratefully at the sight, sliding his hands up her soft, freckled torso, causing her to gasp when his fingers flitted over her ticklish sides.

“So pretty for me,” he praised her, and the words shot right to her cunt. She rocked against the bulge in his pants and could feel how slick she’d grown, her wetness seeping through the thin fabric of her panties to the crotch of her shorts. 

He pulled her closer once again and devoured her mouth, inhaling her as if she was smoke from one of his cigarettes. She tasted far sweeter, he thought, and twice as addictive. He began to work her shorts off and she lifted her legs to allow him to push them down until they fell to the floor, leaving her in just her bra and panties. He pushed the sheer material covering her neatly trimmed triangle of dark curls aside to find her already soaked and he let out a groan, swirling his now wet fingertips over her eager clit. She started to pant and whimper as he licked over the soft sides of her breasts, nibbling and sucking bruises onto her skin, loving how they looked next to the lacy black fabric of her bra.

“Are you going to be a good girl, Rey?” he moaned, pushing two fingers into her while continuing to work her clit with his thumb. She cried out, grinding down onto his hand and tightening her hold on his shoulders.

“Y-yes,” she panted, so ready for release. 

“Show me,” he growled out, kneading the fleshy globe of her ass roughly with one hand as the fingers of his other curled and stroked her inner walls. High on the need to please him, she clambered off his lap and kneeled on the floor in front of him, her hands flying to the zipper on his trousers. With a little help, she freed his cock and couldn’t help but moan at the sight of him, hard and twitching for her.

She took his rigid length in her hand and slowly licked a stripe from the base to his tip before swirling her tongue around the spongy pink head, earning her a satisfied groan. One of his hands slid into her hair and gripped tightly. It excited her to no end to be controlled like this and she gave him just what he wanted, pulling his cockhead into her mouth and sucking hard, hollowing out her cheeks. He had to fight not to roll his head back, wanting to watch her. She was always eager to taste him but he rarely had the patience to let her, too preoccupied with getting her to cum for him.

“You love the taste of my cock, don’t you?” he asked, thrusting up into her perfect, parted lips. She moaned her agreement, circling the base of him with her fist as she bobbed her head in his lap, her tongue lapping at him as she went down and mouth going tight as she pulled up. She teased his frenulum with the tip of her tongue as she sucked him and he fisted her hair tighter in his grip, almost growling in pleasure. He shuddered when she pushed further, taking him into her throat until her nose brushed the fabric of his dress shirt.

“Fucking perfect,” he muttered to himself, eyes trained on the back of her head as she swallowed around him. He felt his balls tighten up and with a gentle tug on her hair, he pulled her up until she released him with a lewd, wet sound.

“Come here, darling,” he bid her, patting his lap. She stood and wiggled out of her panties and he hummed appreciatively, sliding his hands up her slender thighs.

“Show me those pretty tits,” he moaned as she straddled him once more. She reached behind her and made a show of taking off her bra for him, smiling coyly, her hair falling over her shoulders. The lacey bra hit the floor and his hands circled her waist, bringing her closer so he could suck and lick at her perky breasts. His cock rubbed against the slick lips of her cunt, the swollen head teasing her clit, making her throw back her head, gasping. He sucked the peak of one breast into his mouth as he reached for the other, his hands so soft and yet so rough in their treatment of her pliant flesh. She wanted to slide down onto his cock so badly. Her hand wandered between them to angle him towards her entrance but he caught her wrist before she could take him inside her. He pulled his mouth from her breast to fix her with a steely look that only served to make her cunt ache more.

“Please, sir,” she whined, rocking her hips, needing to be filled.

“Mm, I don’t know,” he teased, the tip of his cock primed to ease her ache, “Are you sure you’ve been good enough?”

She whimpered and nodded, “Yes! Please, sir, I want you inside me.”

He bit back a groan and kissed her roughly, teeth sinking into her plump lower lip as he thrust up into her, plunging into her cunt all at once. She gasped at the sudden intrusion, wriggling her hips until his cock couldn’t go any further, hitting her deepest wall.

“Let me see how badly you want it, then,” he groaned low, bucking his hips. She lifted off him until only his head remained buried inside her and then let herself fall into his lap, filling herself with him once more. He tightened his lips, breathing deeply and keeping a needy, desperate noise in his chest as she rode him. He could _smell_ the sex in the air and it was driving him mad. His hands found her hips again and then she was bouncing on his cock with abandon, practically shaking as she fucked herself on top of him, the ridge of his cockhead hitting that perfect place inside her over and over. She clenched down on him every time he thrust into her and it was bringing both of them right to the edge.

One of his hands roved over her hip and dipped down to toy with her clit, making her sigh blissfully. He let his fingers get coated with her arousal until they were drenched and then brought them to his mouth and licked up the length of them, adding his own saliva. Her movements slowed as she watched him with fascination. It should have been criminal for a man to look that gorgeous, his perfect lips parting to lick at his own fingers, all covered in her cum. 

He pulled her closer to his chest, his long arm circling to her backside, and then she understood what he intended to do. He rubbed the tight coil of muscle between her ass cheeks with his wet fingers, looking up at her to gauge her reaction.

“Is this alright, pet?” he panted, his hips rocking her slowly as she clenched around his cock. She nodded her head desperately, already deliriously aroused at the idea. He pressed the tip of one finger against her entrance until she relaxed and her muscles sucked him into her tight warmth. His mouth found her shoulder and his sucked and bit at her, relishing all the delights her body had to offer him. When his finger was in all the way to the knuckle, he curled the length of it inside of her, pressing into the thing wall of muscle between her and his cock still pistoning in and out of her tight cunt.

“Fuck,” she gasped, making him chuckle.

“Naughty girl,” he admonished. She whimpered, gripping his shoulders tighter. She loved his discipline as much as his praise.

“Please, sir,” she begged, her hips never stopping their needy rhythm, “I wanna cum for you.”

He swallowed thickly and let his head roll back against the sofa, taking a steadying breath to keep himself from pumping her full of his cum right then and there.

“Only good girls get to cum, Rey,” he ground out before attacking her neck once again, red and purple bruises blooming under the assault of his teeth and lips, causing her to keen with desire. She could feel the hot coil deep in her groin growing tighter. Her whole body felt like a string on a violin and he was the one playing her, with his mouth, with his hard member, with his finger fucking her ass. Her trembling hands found his face, cupping his jaw and bringing him up to look at her. His eyes met her lust filled gaze and he almost forgot how to breathe. 

“I’ll be so good for you,” she whispered, and _god_ , he wondered how anyone could be so sweet in this position, writhing in his lap like a little slut, eager for his cum inside her pussy. He thrust up harder, so hard she would surely be sore later, and she loved it.

“Good girls don’t like this,” he groaned, bucking his hips, fucking her roughly and accenting his words by pushing the tip of another finger into her twitching hole. She shuddered and clenched down around him, the head hitting her g-spot as she did so, nearly sending her orgasm ripping though her body. 

“Or men like me,” he told her, eyes still fixed on hers. Her movements stuttered and slowed.

“Hux,” she murmured, unable to stop the concern that welled within her at his words. But he was inside her, everywhere, and it was too much, and her brain couldn’t make her mouth form the words. Instead, she kissed him. It was a kiss that was entirely too caring for the moment, too gentle, and he let himself believe it held all her feelings for him. 

And somehow, just like that, they were making love again, like that night in the hotel room when he’d been so frightened of his growing feelings for her. But here she was now, with him. Her things lay upstairs. She was here to stay. So he let her kiss soothe away his worries for the moment. Everything else fell away and it was just them, together, making love in the home they now shared.

“Rey,” he moaned out, uttering her name like a spell. Bound by its magic, she couldn’t hold back anymore, the feeling of his cock filling her when she squeezed around it too much to take. Her muscles spasmed around his hard length and he held her tight, letting the feeling of her orgasm wash over him. He murmured sweet encouragements in her ear, telling her how perfect she was for him and how he was all hers until he joined her in her bliss, shooting his spend deep inside her. 

Through it all, she kept kissing him, not willing to let the sudden sweetness they’d found together slip away. When the shocks of their pleasure faded, their kisses slowed and his fingers slipped gently from her behind as she gingerly picked herself up off his lap. He watched his softening cock leave a trail of his cum dripping down her thighs and then wrapped his arms around her, not caring about the mess on his trousers so long as he could keep holding her, keep kissing her. 

They stayed on the sofa, sharing soft caresses until both felt the pull of sleep. Rey extracted herself from his arms hesitantly and pulled on her tank top and shorts. He tucked himself back inside his underwear but made no move to leave.

Neither one of them could address the elephant in the room.

She had her own bedroom, upstairs. She’d picked out the bed frame, mattress, and bedspread herself. She’d been so excited when it was delivered, hovering around the delivery men as they set it up for her. And now it was time for them to go to their respective bedrooms. 

Unwilling to bear the uncomfortable silence, Hux cleared his throat and stood before bending forward and placing a kiss on her temple. 

“Goonight, darling,” he said softly and then turned to march towards his bedroom with a soldier-like purpose.

Rey thought of sleeping alone.

“Maybe,” she started, prompting him to pause and turn back towards her. “Just for tonight?” she asked, coming to stand beside him. He nodded wordlessly, sending up a silent prayer of thanks. 

They got ready for bed together, a familiar routine by now. Rey got in bed first, not staying around to watch Hux rub wrinkle cream on his forehead. He hated anyone being privy to his vanity. He flicked the bathroom light off and slid into the bed, curling himself around her. Rey always slept on the right side. Somewhere along the way, he had come to think of it as hers, and he was glad it wasn’t empty tonight.

“Night, Hux,” she yawned, snuggling into _her_ pillow.

“Good night,” he whispered back, kissing her shoulder. Neither of them said it, but both had a feeling Rey wouldn’t be sleeping in the bedroom upstairs much, if at all.

Hux replayed the evening in his head, thinking of how they’d ended up kissing so tenderly and how his face fit so perfectly in her hands and how he had never been so vulnerable with a partner before. He let his lips rest on her shoulder, as his mind wandered. He still hadn’t told her. 

“Rey?” he whispered against her soft, freckled skin, “Are you asleep, darling?”

She made no movement. Her breathing was even and he could see her chest riding and falling. He licked at his lips hesitantly and decided to try something.

“Rey, I was thinking we should try watersports,” he said at a normal volume.

She didn’t show any sign of having heard him. He tried again, louder.

“I’m throwing all your ghastly hole-ridden t-shirts in the rubbish where they belong.”

Still no movement. He swallowed, his throat having gone dry. He laid a feather-light kiss to the back of her head, her silky waves tickling at his nose. He inhaled deeply, murmuring in the quiet darkness of their bedroom.

“I love you.”


	21. Power and Control (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What do you get when an anal retentive in his mid thirties and a messy, grungy recent college grad move in together? Ah, the Odd Couple of Star Wars pairings, how I love you.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun fact: I obsessed over this chapter and rewrote it more times than I can count! I decided to break it into two chapters. Hopefully, the next one will be up soon, if real life doesn't interrupt me...again.
> 
> *glares at real life*

Rocky. 

That was the best word to describe his relationship with Rey since she’d moved in several weeks prior. He came home one day to dirt tracked across his pristine floor- potting soil. Rey had never had much access to a green space of her own and it seemed her mission now was covering his back porch with plants. Most were purchased but some were “rescued” from around the city. She’d shown up with a tomato plant tucked in a paper bag that had apparently had been growing in an alley. 

“It was just out there, all alone,” she said, apparently captivated by the plucky little thing’s ability to thrive despite only being given a little crack in the pavement to do so. It was cute and he shrugged it off.

If anything was true of their dynamic at this point it was that Rey had him wrapped around her little finger. He was always willing to bend over backwards to indulge her. However, a few shrubs on the porch quickly became multiple trips to plant nurseries and Sundays spent planting flowers in the backyard instead of tied to his bed, where he’d assumed she’d be spending more time now that they were living together. Before he knew it, unwelcomed house guests in brightly painted terra cotta pots were spilling into the house as well, turning his brownstone into a jungle of greenery.

And the mess…God, the mess. Rey didn’t understand. To her, it was just a few plates in the sink that she swore she would get to later but to him it was _chaos_ and he positively itched with discomfort. Every time he walked into a room, he would nervously eye it for evidence leftover from Hurricane Rey’s path.

That far from the end of it, however. There was hair in the shower drain. His once small shelf of carefully collected and organized films was now overrun with _cartoons_ which she begged to watch at dinner. Oh, yes, and apparently she did yoga and meditation to the sound of Tibetan throat singing three or four times a week. He joined her once when she promised it would help his back and sooth his nerves but it was soon discovered that Hux’s body did _not_ bend that way and he had no desire to try to change that. 

Now that they were sharing a bed every night and not just once a week or so, Hux also got a chance to learn that Rey was not as deep a sleeper as he’d previously thought. At 4 AM, she would wake him up to tell him about a strange dream she had or stalk into the living room to watch TV too loudly while inhaling an oversized bowl of sugary cereal when she couldn’t get back to sleep.

At work, things continued on as usual for the most part but an unspoken tension was building to an almost tangible degree. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise, then, when the spark on his short fuse met the gunpowder barrel of his ire. 

He exploded. 

It was only once but that was enough, apparently. Mitaka had given Rey a message for him from Snoke and she’d tucked it in her planner. Normally, Rey never forgot about these kinds of things but it had been a particularly busy day at La Premier. A popular actress had commissioned a bespoke set of lingerie and everyone in the office was rushing around in a tizzy over it. When she finally remembered the note, they were already leaving for the day, standing in front of the elevators . He’d reacted…badly.

He knew he’d fucked up the minute the scalding words left his mouth. The note likely wasn’t particularly urgent but the way he reacted, you’d have thought she’d kicked Millicent across the room.

The ride home was spent in silence. He could feel the anger rolling off of her in waves, like heat from a stove but still, she said nothing. He knew he should apologize but every time he opened his mouth to do so, he couldn’t find the words.

As soon as they walked through the door, she went upstairs without a word. He ordered a veritable feast from her favorite restaurant, all middle eastern foods he couldn’t pronounce if he tried as an attempt at a peace offering. She piled up a plate and retreated back to the second story. He waited for her to come to bed but she never did. That night, she slept in her room for the first time. 

Now it had been almost a week and she was still sleeping upstairs. His nights were spent in cold silence, staring at the slight indentation left in the shape of her on the other side of the bed. He’d wake up to find that she’d already left for work before him. At the office, she spoke to him only when she needed to and whenever he shyly brushed his hand against hers, she was quick to pull away.

He felt utterly pathetic. A few days without contact and she’d reduced him to this. He was making his way to La Premier Ordre's materials supplier. A cigarette hung from his lips and he chewed at the filter in annoyance, his hands fisted in his coat pockets. Dark circles lined his eyes and he had a hint of a five o’clock shadow. 

To make it worse, it was officially _that_ time of year again. The horrid ads and decorations seemed to be closing in all around him It was everywhere, totally inescapable. Red and pink and hearts and little cupids with insipid smiles. Valentine’s Day was loathsome even before his blasted lover’s spat. Now the idea of it was so much worse than usual. The corners of his mouth turned down as he passed another jewelry store boasting a sale on engagement rings. Absurd.

And yet, a glimmer in the store window caught his eye. His gait slowed as he stood entranced. Damn his appetite for well designed accessories. Among the polished, traditional rings on display, there was a small case of raw stones, brightly colored and set in unfinished metals. They reminded him of Rey. 

He allowed himself a moment to indulge in a fantasy where, bent on one knee, he slips one of the glittering jewels onto her delicate finger. In his mind’s eye, he gazes up at her and finds all the words to make her understand how much he loves her, needs her. He tells her he’s been an absolute fool and still somehow manages to look dashing doing it. She cries, throwing her arms around him. She promises to never leave him. They fuck right then and there. It’s filthy. 

He blinked away the daydream and swallowed the lump that formed in his throat. The leather of his gloves creaked as he curled his fists tightly. His eye twitched.

Rubbish.

-

“Fuck him!” Finn shouted over the noise of the club. His cheeks were darkened with boozy vigor. He never could hold his alcohol. Poe laughed heartily and wrapped his arm around his boyfriend’s waist, smacking a kiss onto his cheek.

“Wouldn’t that be giving him what he wants, though?” he asked, turning to Rey and lifting a dark eyebrow in amusement. She sat across the table, frowning at the drink in front of her, essentially abandoned and growing watery with melted ice, salt sliding down the rim and into the glass. She was turning her phone back and forth in her hands, “ **Mr. Fox** ” illuminated on the screen in bold, black letters. For some reason, she’d never changed it after their first meeting. They rarely ever texted anyway.

“He’s just-,” she began, and stopped, trying to articulate her frustration. She settled for an annoyed snarl instead, throwing up her hands. Poe hid a smile behind his fist but Finn nodded fiercely, agreeing with the sentiment one hundred and ten percent.

“Moving in together is tough,” Poe mused, shrugging his shoulders, knocking back his own beer, “You really find out what people are like.”

“You don’t have to stay with him!” Finn promised loudly, leaning over the table, his balance a little off. The lights flashed over them, a multitude of colors, in time with the thumping of the music. She thought about the night she’d convinced her contrary lover to _feel the beat_ at a nightclub like this one. A dancing queen he was not, but he’d done it for her. Actually, it kind of always felt like he was just going along with what she wanted. The past few weeks had stoked her insecurities about it to the point where she had to wonder if she was just difficult to love.

_But then, he doesn’t love you, does he?_

She took a deep gulp of the salty, watery tequila. The DJ put on another fucking love song. What was with the music selection tonight? She grimaced and thought about calling an Uber and going home to confront Hux, which only made her grimace more. How fucked was it that she would rather be in that idiot ginger’s bed right now with his stupid arms around her and the freaking cat curled up at her feet than here? Normally, Rey loved the noise and the hubbub. Tonight, it was just getting on her nerves.

“I’m going to the bathroom,” she shouted at Finn, slinging her small bag over her shoulder. He gave her a thumbs up, wordlessly, due to the fact that Poe’s tongue was somewhere in the immediate vicinity of his tonsils. With a sigh, she slid off the barstool and wiggled into the crowd of people who all seemed to have suddenly forgotten how to move out of the way when someone was trying to get through.

She had nearly reached the bathroom when she saw him. Because of course, on the one night she decides to go out and try to relax, her boss happens to be there as well. Ulysses Snoke and a group of smartly dressed business types were seated in the VIP area, laughing as a woman in a tight, gold, slip of a dress poured them champagne. Rey turned about-face to go around the long way. She didn’t think he could spot her in the crowd of people, especially since they’d really only met the once, but she figured it was better safe than sorry. The crowd was making her oddly agitated and she really didn’t want to have to fake polite interest with someone right now, especially someone as slimy as Mr. Snoke.

The problem with spinning around suddenly in the middle of a crowded dance floor, however, was that you’ll probably run face-first into another person. In this case, she bounced right off a very broad, very solid chest. Her hand flew to her flattened nose as a much larger one came to hold her by the elbow, steadying her.

“Are you okay?” she heard the owner of the large hand ask her, his voice deep enough that she could almost feel the vibrations from how close they were standing, even over the music. She also noted he sounded thoroughly annoyed at her, despite the civil inquiry to her wellbeing. She peeled one mascara-lined hazel eye open to peak up at the human tree she’d just swung into only to see his own eyes widen and his expression go slack.

He wasn’t too much terribly taller than she was in heels but considering she was a good deal taller than most people, he seemed massive. He had a frustratingly voluminous head of silky black hair that fell around his shoulders in waves and dark eyes and the plushest pair of lips she’d ever seen and- oh. He was looking at her like she’d just given him some life changing information and he was struggling to process it.

“Yeah,” she huffed at last, and he seemed to remember he was holding her and withdrew his hand as if it’d been electrified. “Sorry,” she added, moving to the side to step passed him.

“Um-,” he called out, bringing her attention back towards him, although his game plan seemed to end there because he didn’t say anything else, just stared at her. She couldn’t be sure with the flashing of the colored lights, but she thought his cheeks had gone pink. He stepped closer, diminishing what little room she’d gained by moving past him and now she was the one blushing. He lifted his hand towards her and for a minute, she thought he was going to take her by the arm again but then she felt her phone vibrate against her thigh through her purse and without even looking, she knew exactly who was calling her.

Rey swallowed, salt and tequila still clinging to her throat. “I have to go,” she said too softly for him to hear. She pushed into the crowd, leaving the attractive giant where he stood, trying to call her back, his voice muffled by the heavy bass.

-

Hux checked his watch again. It was after midnight. He paced in front of the fireplace, chewing at his lower lip until a red spot bloomed from the worrying. Millicent’s eyes followed his movements lazily from her position on a tufted throw pillow, her tail swishing back and forth. Earlier that evening, he’d knocked on her door to tell her dinner had arrived but there was no answer. He’d peeked in only to discover that she wasn’t there. In fact, she wasn’t anywhere in the house, which unnerved him deeply since she’d left work early that day and he hadn’t seen her since. It had been _hours_ now. In a moment of panic, he had even checked her room for her things. They were all still there. She hadn’t left him.

 _Yet_ , a bitter voice groaned in his head. His eyes felt dry and irritated, dark bags already hanging below heavy lids. He scrubbed his hands over his face and pushed them into his hair, mussing the stiff red peaks. He’d already sent her several texts asking where she was and he never texted if he could help it. She’d responded once with “ **BHL8** ”. What the fuck that meant, he didn’t know, and he was too prideful to ask. 

It seemed like an eternity before he heard the key turning in the front door lock. Her heels clattered down the hall and he was suddenly struck immobile, his feet planting themselves firmly on the rug. He was so still in the near darkness of the living room that she almost walked right passed him and down the hall until she caught a flash of bright red hair shining in the low lamplight from her peripheral vision. She looked surprised and- wait, where was she even headed? Had she been going to his bedroom?

“What the hell, Hux? You nearly gave me a heart attack!” she said, accusing him with a shocked expression as she clutched her chest. “Why in God’s name are you standing in the bloody dark?”

At her words, he seemed to snap out of his trance and he clasped his hands behind his back so she couldn’t see how they trembled. “Where have you been?” he all but seethed in reply. Anger steadily began to replace the look of shock on her face and he wondered if he’d ever quell his appetite for his own foot.

“Out,” she ground out petulantly. He couldn’t help but notice she was wearing a Chanel dress he’d bought her. Nothing but a tiny red bit of fabric, really. And she’d been wearing it out in the world somewhere without him. Something cold and ugly clawed inside his chest

“With whom?” he asked pointedly. She crossed her arms defensively and he struggled to keep his eyes on hers and not let them wander to the offering of cleavage he was now tempted with. He was only human, damn it, and he’d been unexpectedly deprived of her touch for almost a week now.

“Does it matter?” she scoffed. He chewed at the inside of his cheek and pressed his lips into a thin line. 

“Yes,” he hissed tersely, “It does.” She sauntered closer, practically swaying her hips until she was right under him, staring up into the depths of his verdant eyes defiantly, which was…not the response he’d expected.

“And what’re you going to do about it?” she breathed, voice dipping low. Her lips were painted scarlet and parted oh, so invitingly and if he were to move just an inch, maybe two, closer, he would be- his eyes widened a fraction. She couldn’t really be doing…this, could she? Now? _Right now_?

She watched his throat bob with all the attentiveness of a lioness who had spotted her next meal and god, he’d never gone from angry to turned on so quickly in his life. The look she was giving him was definitely her “fuck me now” look and truthfully, he was a bit gob-smacked. When he’d imagine how this conversation would go, this wasn’t what he’d pictured at all. He had things he’d been intent on saying…which were what, again? He couldn’t remember.

“You…,” he began, only to trail off pathetically, his features twisting with frustration and annoyance, despite the redness creeping up past his shirt collar, belying the fact that he was quickly becoming hot and bothered. Because how does one proceed when they were expecting a debate and instead, their dick had gotten hard?

“Me?” she responded coyly, tilting her neck up and showing off that lovely expanse of the smooth column of her neck, an offering of lightly freckled skin, all soft and sweet smelling, and begging to be marked by his teeth and his hands.

“You little- _brat_ ,” he muttered, narrowing his eyes at her, annoyed and embarrassed at how easily she had his cock standing at attention, desperate for her touch. How the hell did she always do that?

She threw her arms around his neck and now, this was definitely a different kind of fight- one for dominance. Their teeth clacked and her lipstick left his mouth stained as their lips clashed against one another, waves breaking on rocks in a storm. His hands grabbed at her waist, anxious to feel her again.

“And what about it?” she growled into his mouth, hardly stopping to break the kiss. He walked her back until the backs of her legs hit the coffee table and they fell to the ground together in a heap of limbs and desperation.

“You’re going to find out,” he promised, pulling her dress down to reveal her bare breasts, the flimsy spaghetti straps tearing easily. Before Rey, the aesthete in Hux would faint at the idea of ruining this dress but that voice was silenced by something much more primal he didn’t know existed within himself. His heated glare shifted from her perky peaks to the bold grin she flashed him and he couldn’t tell if she had forgone lingerie tonight to spite him or arouse him.

“You know to behave better than this,” he growled, pulling her dress down all the way to reveal the poor excuse for panties covering the trimmed thatch of curls between her thighs. A horrid leopard print Victoria’s Secret item. It increased the odd combination of indignation and arousal he felt.

“But I am behaving, sir,” she countered, her breathing going shallow, causing her breasts to rise and fall temptingly. “I’m behaving badly.”

Hux could feel the lower lid of his right eye twitch and was certain a vein had popped out on his forehead by now. He grabbed the front of the pathetic mesh triangle in both his hands and with one sure rip, rendered it in half before turning her around and pushing her so that she was bent over the coffee table. 

“Is this what you want? You want me to punish you?” he asked harshly as he shoved his hand between her legs, pawing at her roughly to find her already wet. More than wet. She was absolutely soaked. 

“Yes,” she sighed, resting her face against the cold glass, briefly pondering on how she must have made quite the sight from below, her bare tits pressed up against it.

“If all you’ll respond to is my hand on your backside,” he told her with a ragged inhale, “then that’s what you’re going to get.” He brought his hand down on her ass with a stinging smack, making her gasp and rock forward. His cock was angry and reddened to the point of purpling in his boxers. He wanted so badly to palm himself but refused to give in. His satisfaction would come from her and her only. 

Without warning, he slapped the same area again, spanking her over and over until the area had gone pink and splotchy to his liking before moving on to another. She made no attempt to stop him or beg him to slow down. He didn’t make her count. Didn’t make her thank him. He was brutal with her and she took all the punishment he could give, only responding with moans and cries for more. By the time both of her cheeks were rosy and tender, she was sobbing with need, and he watched, utterly transfixed, as her ass shook from his hand smacking against it, causing a bead of her arousal to drip from her cunt down her leg until it met the carpet. He couldn’t take it anymore.

She heard his zipper being tugged down and then felt the heavy weight of his cock on the too-sensitive skin of her bottom. She gripped the table tight, arching her back in a wanton display, rocking back and letting his hard length slide between her cheeks. He grabbed her ass with both of his hands and rutted against her, watching his precum leak between her perfectly round globes, her flesh red and over-stimulated from his harsh treatment.

“Tell me what you want, Rey,” he demanded, bent over her in a way that let her feel the rasp of his shirt fabric against her back. She shivered, thrilled at being totally naked below him while he was still fully clothed. Something about it felt so bad and so, so good.

“I want to be fucked hard,” she begged, her whole body humming with need.

“That’s what I thought,” he spat from above her, positioning his thick, blunt head at her entrance and in one sure motion, he slid into her, barely giving her a moment before pulling his hips back and pushing in deeper until he bottomed out.

“Fuck,” he choked out, breathing hard through his nose. Here he was, 35, and he was practically ready to spill himself inside her like a teenage boy. When he was sure he could move without cumming, he fisted his hand in her hair and pulled her head back before giving her just what she’d asked for. She whined and whimpered in response as he fucked her fast and rough and if he almost laughed at the sound.

“Where’s your smart mouth now, kitten?” he panted, holding her still with his free hand around her hips. Rey let out an unladylike snort and held up one hand, pointing her middle finger in the air at him. His hand flew from her hip to close around hers tightly.

“ _No_ ,” he grunted, “ _Bad_ ,” and the words went straight to her head, much more potent than the tequila she’d been sipping earlier that evening.

“Since when do we act so vulgar, hm?” he asked, breath hot and ragged and yet, sounding for all the world as though he was in any position to reprimand her behavior when he was balls deep in her twitching cunt.

“Since you wanted to be a prick,” she gasped as he hit that particularly sensitive spot, making her clench.

“I’ve been- you drive me bloody crazy!” he growled, his chest flushed against his back as he fucked her, her gushing cunt feeling like a revelation. “God- do you,” he never stopped the rhythm of his hips as he tried to make sense of his feelings, “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”

She shook her head, moaning unintelligible gibberish as her tousled brown waves splayed over her shoulders. It was easier somehow to talk while pounding into her, as though she was pulling the honesty from him with every delicious flutter of her muscles.

“Do you have any fucking idea,” he asked, pulling out until only his head was inside her and then slamming back in roughly, “how badly I’ve wanted your cunt?” He surged forward even harder and she gasped loudly, her pussy clenching down on him in spasms. “I hate being apart from you.”

He kissed the back of her neck and groaned softly in her ear, “When you’re gone- I,” he swallowed as sweat broke out over his forehead, “I feel like I’m dying.” Rey almost cried at his words, his name tumbling from her lips as he kissed her, the tenderness of his mouth at odds with the way he slammed into her from behind.

He trailed kisses along her shoulder, groaning when her slick began to drip down his balls. He’d gotten used to seeing her covered in the evidence of his affections but the last week had given them time to heal and her shoulders and back were left bereft of his love bites and bruises. He set about correcting that immediately, sucking and biting at every bit of skin he could reach. 

With each thrust, his hips came flush against her bottom, filling the room with the sound of skin slapping against skin, only spurring him on further. Rey’s eyes rolled back as the head of his cock caught against the spongy wall of tissue that made her squirm over and over again. She was going to cum just from this, she was sure of it.

“P-please,” she begged him, and he was filled with the need to see her face. He pulled out and she whimpered before he laid her down on the carpet and spread her thighs, plunging into her again. She wrapped her arms and legs around him, clinging to him, her nails digging into his skin through his shirt. She felt hot, wet trails stream down her cheeks and his mouth followed their path, kissing and licking at her cheeks.

“Cum for me, love,” he sighed against her lips, and she felt her legs begin to tingle and shake as his pelvis pressed against her drenched sex, bringing her to completion. He cursed loudly as she came undone around him, the movement of his hips stuttering, his rhythm growing erratic as he followed her.

Hux had never had makeup sex. He’d never stayed in a relationship long enough. He got all those jokes about it now. The high of finally cumming in her, seeing her blissful expression beneath him was so strong, that the world could end right now and he’d be perfectly content.

He kissed her like it would.


	22. Power and Control (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What's New Pussycat? x 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one goes out to the wonderful readers who've supported me, you guys have no idea how much it means.
> 
> ALSO, did you know it's against the rules on here to mention ko-fi or patreon and the like? I didn't. Anyway, on an unrelated note, here is my tumblr where you go show your support for my filthy, nasty, dirty porn.
> 
> https://hattoripornzo.tumblr.com

Well. 

This was awkward.

They both lay on the living room floor, staring at the ceiling. Their once heavy, gasping breaths had quieted, leaving the room painfully silent. As amazing as the sex had been, neither seemed to know what to do afterwards. Hux looked over at Rey’s tear stained face and felt like he’d been stabbed in the gut. What they had just done was…intense. And horrifically undernegotiated. This was a first for him and he had no idea how to proceed from here.

After several more agonizing moments of quiet, Rey was the first to move. She sat up slowly and he followed suit, reaching a hand out to brush her elbow. She brought her knees to her chest and hung her head, refusing to look at him and _that_ hurt so much worse. 

“Are you going to tell me what that was about?” he attempted, his voice soft and raspy. She choked out a laugh and shook her head. Hux frowned. That wasn’t good enough, not by a long shot. He needed her to explain why she jumped his bones all of a sudden, demanding it hot and rough after almost a week of no contact. 

“Rey,” he said, more insistant, and when she didn’t respond, he moved beside her to cup her cheek, turning her towards him. 

“Rey.”

“I don’t want to talk about it,” she groaned. His instincts told him _that_ was most certainly not true. He might’ve scowled at her refusal to discuss this, although, it was hard to look angry when you were the picture of dishevelment, hair sticking out all over and your lover’s lipstick smeared across your mouth.

“Don’t be a child,” he snapped. She stiffened up and turned away and he bit his tongue, glaring at the floor as he berated himself inwardly. He wasn’t doing any of this right at all.

“I…I was worried,” he said, his voice going quieter, more gentle now. He took her hand gingerly in his and her posture lost an ounce of its defensiveness, as if his words had caught her off guard. She peeked at him from behind the curtain of her mussed waves as her shoulders relaxed.

“I texted you I’d be home late,” she murmured, still frowning, though her tone lacked the bite it’d held previously. 

_Oh_. BHL8.

“I shouldn’t have shouted,” he blurted out, hot embarrassment staining him pink from his neck to the tips of his ears. She blinked at him, not understanding.

“In the elevator,” he supplied. Realization dawned on her and she seemed to consider him a moment, narrowing her eyes at him.

“Then why did you?”

He inhaled deeply and his eyes fell to where his thumb was rubbing circles on the soft plane of the back of her hand. Was it always so small in comparison to his own?

“It wasn’t about the note,” he confessed.

“Then what was it about?” she asked in a hushed tone, her eyes starting to grow wet and red again. Hux sucked in a breath. He’d always known he was a bastard but now he really hated himself.

“It was about…a million other things,” he replied just as quietly, daring to move closer, the need to comfort her at war with his fears.

“Like what?” Rey pressed. And at that, he wasn’t quite sure what to say. Your plants? The dishes? Were these really the things that had kept them apart all this time?

“It seems stupid now,” he admitted, “I’m- I’m so sorry.” His eyes searched hers. She looked as though she were turning his words over in her mind, inspecting each one. When she didn’t say anything, he took it as an invitation to continue.

“I’m not a good person,” he whispered, “I’m greedy and selfish. I take without concern for others.”

The way she swallowed confirmed what he’d known. She’d seen it in him; all his flaws. He held her hands in his own with more delicacy than he thought himself capable of and leaned down to press his forehead to hers.

“I never want to be those things to you, love. I’m sorry,” he professed, a sinner bowing his head at the pew, begging for absolution. 

“I thought you’d left me,” he added quietly and at those words, something in her features shifted. He thought he heard her breath hitch in her throat and then one of her hands trailed along his shoulder until he felt her thumb against his cheek, smoothing out the frown lines around his mouth. 

“Can we go to bed?” she murmured, and it was as though he had been cleared of his all his wickedness, made clean by her words. He wasn’t sure he deserved it.

Hux watched her get ready for bed that night with something like wonder. He didn’t pick up her shoes or the remains of her dress and underwear from where they left them on the floor. In his bathroom, all covered in vines and hanging plants, she looked like an angel with a mouth full of toothpaste. When they got into bed together, he pulled her to his chest like he was afraid she’d disappear if he didn’t hold her close. He kissed her forehead softly and simply breathed her in, as though she were fresh air and he’d been suffocating the last few nights without her.

Rey let him hold her and idly run his hand along her arm, feeling like a small child being calmed. She basked in the sensation. Millicent batted the door open and sauntered in, leaping onto the bed and curling up in a tight orange ball of fur. Sleep came fast and for the first time in days, they both slept comfortably.

-

Hux was up with the dawn, slipping quietly from the bed like a phantom in the still darkened room, careful not to disturb the gently snoring girl who still lay naked and tangled in the Egyptian cotton sheets on his bed. Their bed. He padded out of the room and closed the door cautiously. He went to the kitchen. Things between them were still fragile, the wound just barely healing, and he wanted to get this right. He went to the panty and found a box, reading the label. 

“ **Pancake Mix- Buttermilk Complete** ”. The instructions on the back read, “ **Easy!** ” in cheerfully swooping yellow font. He let out a deep breath through his nose. He was a Yale graduate, top of his class. He could do this.

Rey’s nose twitched as she rubbed at her eyes drowsily, sleep still clinging to the corners of her consciousness. It smelled like bacon. Like bacon burning. She rolled over, expecting to see bright copper hair and pale arms encircling the pillow as she’d come to expect whenever she woke before Hux, but her lover had disappeared. She stumbled out of bed and rubbed at her arms, slightly chilled from the February morning cold. 

Staggering to the closet with halting footsteps, she grabbed one of Hux’s many blue sweaters and tugged it over her head. On her, it just brushed the apples of her bottom, keeping her somewhat modest and quite warm. She pressed the soft fabric to her skin and considered composing a love song to cashmere. That would have to wait, though, as the smell of burnt bacon hung thickly in the air and she was growing more and more concerned by it. As she made her way down the hall, she shoved the sleeves up her arms a few times before giving up, letting them completely encase hands in their length. 

When she reached the kitchen, she paused and rubbed her hand over her eyes to make sure she wasn’t seeing things. She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but Hux wearing her apron, standing over the stove trying to turn over a piece of bacon was very low on the list of possibilities.

“Hux?”

“Rey,” he sputtered in surprise, turning towards her right as a bit of grease jumped from the frying pan, singeing his hand. He hissed and cursed, pulling it away and flapping it ridiculously before turning off the stove and awkwardly moving the bacon onto a paper napkin lined plate. She squeaked and rushed over, guiding him to the sink to hold his hand under cold water.

“What are you doing?” she fretted.

“I, I was- pancakes,” he muttered dumbly, positive his ears and cheeks were that ruddy shade they turned whenever he was embarrassed beyond belief, which seemed to happen too often around Rey. She looked over to the counter by the stove and saw two stacks of pancakes across from the plate of bacon. Her mouth fell open in a little “o” and now it was her turn to blush and stammer.

“You…for me?” she asked. He looked at her in that way of his, like he’d just been personally offended. Or had taken a too bitter sip of tea and was put off. That would be a yes, then.

“Thank you,” she said, looking somewhat stupefied. He turned off the water and dried his hand on the apron before taking it off and tossing it onto the counter where it landed in a rumpled pile, “kiss the cook” and a winky emoji all crumpled up and splattered with pancake batter and bacon grease. He’d wanted to surprise her with it when he had it all ready, not for her to wake up alone and find him bumbling in the kitchen.  
She seemed to sense his distress and stood on her tip toes to kiss him, a grin on her lips. He sighed against her mouth and returned the kiss, unable to stop himself from palming her bare ass. She made a noise of surprise before pulling away to look at him, eyes sparkling with amusement.

“You should wear my things more often,” he hummed, his hand trailing up to rub at the small of her bare back. She laughed and kissed him again and he’d quite forgotten his momentary embarrassment. 

They had breakfast in the living room. Hux had put on a big blockbuster action film he’d heard her talking about and found himself genuinely enjoying it. Rey was surprised at how good most of the pancakes had come out. They were a little thin, more like crepes, but still delicious. There was a notable stack of failures, all oddly shaped and burnt, but she pretended not to notice them.

When he asked her what she’d like to do the rest of the day, she chuckled and replied, “Sleep.” He smiled at her. Her heart fluttered a little. It’d been awhile since he’d graced her with one of his elusive smiles and she’d almost forgotten how much she loved them. He collected the plates, depositing them in the sink, making a point of not washing them, and took her back to bed. He did make her brush her teeth, though.

They lay in bed together, as wrapped up in one another as they were in the sheets. Occasionally, Rey would doze a bit but it seemed they were both well and truly awake now. The curse of a well-kept schedule. Hux’s fingers meandered over her body, gently mapping random trails, marveling at the softness of her skin and the firm muscles underneath. Yoga, he thought absentmindedly, with a wry twist of his lips.

She brought one of his hands to her lips and kissed at his fingers and he sucked in a breath, thinking the sight was as beautiful as a masterpiece painting. The grabbing and biting and harshness of the night before had simmered into deliciously warm, feather-light touches in the glow of morning. He nearly shuddered because this…this felt like love and he never wanted to go without feeling her hold him like this again. 

He kissed her deeply, but tenderly, his mouth soft and pliant against hers. It was hazy and blissful in a way that was new for them both. He’d always been tender with her after their often rough sexual encounters but this, with neither making a move beyond delicate kisses and caresses, was something yet unexplored. It was certainly something Hux had never particularly thought to do and Rey…even in her past relationships, she had never let herself be like this, so gently affectionate. They were drunk on it.

An hour passed. Or two. They were so lost in each other, it was hard to tell. Their hands and mouths smoothed away the pains of their spat and wordlessly said, “ _It’s okay. I’m here. We’re okay. Stay. Stay and linger. I’ve got you._ ”

Rey had felt at home here, and it occurred to her that this _was_ her home now. But not just this house. This man. She prayed that things would always stay just like this, the two of them swaddled in this warm, safe feeling. They were facing each other, their heads on their respective pillows, drinking in the plains and curves of one another’s faces when Rey rolled them so she sat astride his hips. She smiled a little and grasped the edge of his sweater, pulling it over her head and leaving her exposed to him. The light pouring in from the windows was warm and gentle, filtered by the gauzy curtains, bathing her in a radiant glow.

Hux’s hands glided over her thighs and he marveled at the juxtaposition of his skin on hers. She was perfect. There was no other word to describe it. She was velvet under his fingers, smooth and freckled, like some great, benevolent creator saw fit to dapple her with little bits of sunshine. His hands traveled up her sides, making her take a slight breath, the tease of a laugh just on the edge of her lips. He cupped the undersides of her breasts in a way that was almost pious, rubbing his thumbs around the blush of her nipples, watching them pebble under his touch.

“You’re breathtaking,” he murmured, and although he knew she could hear him, he’d not said it for her benefit. It was simply true. She felt her cheeks grow warm at his words and folded down until she lay on top of him, burying her face in his neck. His arms drew around her waist, holding her to him as he kissed her shoulder.

“Let me take care of you today.”

“Take care of me?” she mumbled into the soft fabric of his night shirt. He responded with a simple hum of confirmation, his hands flat against her sides where he held her, large and warm and yes…she wanted that. She wanted more of this, the feeling of being cared for. She nodded against his shoulder.

“Okay,” she agreed with a sort of bewildered amusement, the corners of her lips turning up.

“How about a bath?” he asked, his lips brushing her temple.

“Yeah,” she smiled, “A bath sounds good.”

The bath was everything she didn’t realize she needed. The water was warm and smelled like roses and a moan escaped her when she slid into it, the soreness from the night before melting away. Hux nodded minutely, satisfied upon seeing her relax, and excused himself for a moment. She watched his retreating form until he was out of sight and sighed, dipping her head back into the water, her eyes sliding shut. 

When she opened them again, he’d returned and was watching her over the lip of the tub, mouth curved into a charmed smile, as if he would have been quite contented to sit and watch her there for hours. She sat back up slowly, somewhat self-conscious, the water sloshing in the tub. He produced a small bottle and took her hand gingerly in his. She then stared in what could only be described as amazement as _Armitage Hux_ made himself comfortable against the side of the tub and began to paint her nails ballet slipper pink. 

“Is the water alright?” he asked after a moment and she had to look at him and really process what it was he’d said because…Armitage Hux was painting her nails. Ballet slipper pink.

“Um- it’s a little too hot,” she murmured back quietly. He nodded and adjusted the temperature until it wasn’t too warm or too cool. When he’d finished all the nails on one hand, he blew gently across them to dry the polish and she was almost surprised to see he’d done a perfect job. But at this point, that was hardly the aspect of the situation that most warranted astonishment. He took her other hand and repeated the process.

When her nails were done, he moved behind her and started washing her hair. It wasn’t the first time he’d done this for her but she’d come to consider it something of a rare treat. His fingers massaged her scalp expertly and she started to doze off, only catching herself because she heard him chuckle. Instead of having her stand and rinse like he normally did, he pulled down the showerhead and rinsed her hair for her before draining the tub. She felt a bit like a pampered pet, sitting in the tub while her master bathed her.

Once he’d helped her out of the tub and into a towel, he blow dried her hair, smoothing it into soft curls with a round brush and carefully gathered it into a high ponytail. He had her sit and retrieved a black and white striped bag from under the sink and…oh. He started removing a number of makeup products, luxury brands she’d only heard of, and then, he was…

“Where did you learn to do this?” she wondered aloud, watching from the side of her eye in the mirror as he expertly swiped warm shades of eye shadow across her eyelid.

“Didn't I tell you? You learn a little bit of everything working in the industry,” he hummed offhandedly, concentrating as he lined her eyes with black. She thought there was a story there but decided not to press. When he was between products, she turned and looked at herself fully, drawing a breath. This was…unexpected. Over the last several months, she’d gotten used to him pampering her like this from time to time and she reveled in it but he’d never gone to these lengths and it reminded her that she was more than just his lover, she was his submissive, and she felt cared for.

“There,” he said softly, with a final swipe of a brush against her cheek. She looked to the mirror and said the only thing one could say when the man they’d been sleeping with for months busted out surprise makeup artistry.

“Holy shit.”

“You like it?” he smiled, taking in her reaction.

“Hux, you could be like…like a professional or something,” she marveled. He snorted at her but preened a bit all the same.

“I have a surprise for you,” he said, leading her out of the bathroom. He went into his closet and returned with a box she recognized instantly.

“This is something I’ve been working on,” he said, and she thought he looked almost nervous. 

“You’d be the first to wear it.”

She took the La Premier Order package and sat on the bed, unwrapping it excitedly. Hux watched with a hand pressed to his mouth, studying her, eyes flickering between her face and the box.

“Oh, Hux,” she breathed. The top wasn’t a bra, per se. It was a sheer, cropped camisole with a voluminous, flowery trim along the hem, and matching panties. It was pale pink and exuded innocence and playfulness, quite the left turn from his usual work.

“The design hasn’t been approved yet,” Hux coughed when she said nothing else. “We haven’t sent it to the manufacturers.” God, he was rambling. He pressed his nails into his palm.

“Wait, so…you made this yourself?” she gasped in awe, holding the small pink square of fabric up to admire the stitching.

“Do you want to put it on?” he asked, his heart hammering in his chest.

“Yes!” she exclaimed with a smile and stood, letting her towel fall to the floor. He took the camisole from her gently before she could put it on herself and had her lift her arms, sliding it down over her head carefully. Her breasts were essentially left exposed through the delicate mesh of the fabric, nipples made a shade pinker by its color. He removed the panties from the box and knelt before her and- oh.  
Rey felt her pulse speed up as she looked down at him where he knelt on one knee, holding open the underwear for her to step into. This was suddenly distractingly erotic. He slid the fabric up her legs, his hands brushing her skin as he went and she could feel her sex throb at the sight. His fingers swept over her thighs and her nipples were puckered against the sheer fabric, tenting it out and then, then…fuck. 

Hux leaned forward and tilted his head back to brush his lips over where her clit had started to tingle and it was…dizzying. A quiet moan escaped her lips without her permission. It was over too soon as he pulled her panties into place, only stopping to press a few more worshipful kisses on the insides of her thighs before standing again. Still more than a little excited, she walked to the full length mirror in his closet to admire herself.

“Close your eyes, darling,” she heard him murmur breathily against her ear as he came up behind her, running his hands along the her bare stomach appreciatively. She giggled and did as she was told. Eyes closed, she felt him secure soft cuffs around each of her wrists before placing something on her head. A headband?

“Open.”

She opened her eyes and glanced down and saw that satin lined, pink leather cuffs now encased her wrists, a brand new pair with little heart shaped locks; a more sentimental design than the luxurious restraints he usually favored. But that wasn’t what made her cover her mouth with her hands, trying to contain her ridiculous squeal of excitement and the huge smile that accompanied it.

Cat ears.

Pink, fluffy cat ears sat atop her head. 

“Well?” he asked smugly, watching her in the mirror.

“It’s official,” she beamed, placing her hands on her hips, “I’m adorable.” He laughed and her smile widened all the more for being the source of his laughter. After a week of fighting, they both sorely needed this.

“Where did you even get these?” she asked, touching the furry ears.

“I saw them when I was shopping online and had a hunch you’d like them,” he chuckled, “Who’d have guessed Coco de Mer carried pussy cat ears?”

“Shame. I had a lovely fantasy of you standing in line to pay for these at Forever 21,” she hummed, feigning disappointment at his answer. His only response was to slip an arm around her waist and pull her close, nuzzling her neck. 

“You’re almost perfect.”

“ _Almost_ ?” She looked up at him inquisitively for a moment before he revealed a large, velvet jewelry box he’d been hiding behind his back.

“Hux!” she whined playfully, “This is too much-,” her protests fell silent as he open the box’s lid, revealing the gift inside. It was a pink collar that matched the cuffs. Hanging from a ring in the center, there was a gold heart- she was certain it was real gold and wondered in the back of her mind how much this sort of thing even cost because she was sure he’d really already spent too much on her and…

“Rey” was engraved in script on the heart, with a little pink diamond over her name. 

She looked up at him, her breath caught in her throat. He was staring at her with those eyes. Those eyes that always watched her, her little movements, her mannerisms. They seemed alight from within, the color of leaves in sunshine, and the sea, and everything she’d ever run right towards-

“Do you like it?”

She licked her lips and nodded, swallowing.

“Thank you for not snapping the lid on my fingers,” she mumbled, picturing Richard Gere holding a similar box with a less _naughty_ gift inside.

“What?” he asked, the reference going over his head. 

“Nothing.”

“Come here, then.”

How was that voice so gentle when she knew he could be so very wicked? She let him turn her around and watched her reflection as he clicked the collar shut around her neck. She touched the little gold heart where it danced over her collarbone. She was his. She _belonged_ to him. She belonged.

Rey turned and without a single word, her hands went around his neck and she kissed him and realized just how much she’d missed the feeling of his lips on hers these past few days. She couldn’t get enough of it. She wanted to live in his arms, to be wrapped around him forever, to-

She yelped. He’d lifted her into his arms and was dashing back to the bed. If she hadn’t been so shocked, she would have scolded him and reminded him not to put any strain on his back, but he was laying her down and crawling over her before she could even summon the thought. He covered her in kisses, her jaw, her neck, pushing the flowing material of her top over her breasts to cup them and kiss along the valley that lay between. She moaned, a high pitched breathy noise, and his cock twitched in response but no- this was about her.

“Ssh,” Hux murmured against the swell of her breast, “I know just what you need, kitten.” They’d long ago started keeping ropes in the nightstand. It was just easier that way. He pulled a small cord from the drawer and hooked it to the cuffs on her wrists, pinning her hands over her head and ooh, there was that delicious stretch she craved, that feeling of being placed on display, her perky breast jutting out.

His deft fingers trailed down her body until they breached the hem of her panties, dipping between her folds and teasing her clit. He kissed down further, peppering her stomach with soft, fluttering pecks before kneeling between her legs and pushing aside the damp, pink fabric there. She loved watching this, his soft, auburn hair falling in his face as his tongue glided over her, wet and flat.

“Let’s not get these messy just yet,” he hummed, and hooked his fingers into her newly gifted underwear to pull them down. “You’re going to be getting very wet.”

Rey groaned at his promise and watched as he pulled lube and toy she didn’t recognize from the bedside table. Her eyes widened a little as he held it up for her to see. A shiny new buttplug, glass and larger than her other ones, and oh- of course. There was a fluffy pink tail attached to it. Hux was a man who paid attention to detail. 

“One last touch for my kitten,” he said, grinning wickedly, his eyes darkened with lust. He drizzled the cool lube over her and watched as it dripped from her hot cunt to her perfect, puckered little hole, groaning deep in his chest and pushing her flush cheek aside with his thumb for a better view, warming her up with a single finger. When she began moaning and thrusting against his hand, he replace his finger with the tip of the toy, rubbing against her opening. Her muscles fluctuated instinctively, seeking to take it in and his cock pulsed at the sight. He lowered his mouth to her once more, hungrily, taking her sensitive nub between his lips and sucking hard.

She threw her head back with a gasp and bucked into his mouth as he started licking her with purpose, his tongue as efficient as he was. With every swipe, he would swirl the plug against her tight hole, causing her to keen as it pushed in that much more. He licked and sucked until she was writhing and murmuring “yes” over and over and then she felt her ass pull in the toy fully, and it was so intense she almost cried out but his mouth continued its assault, keeping her focused only on the pleasure of being full.

“God, Rey, look at you,” Hux groaned, flattening his tongue to give her long licks and then pressing crushing kisses to her clit. “You take it so well, kitten.”

She flushed from the praise and wiggled against the bedspread, her ass clenching around the toy that stretched her so right. 

“H-hux,” she hiccupped, squeezing her hands where they lay tied over her head against the cold metal bars of the headboard.

“What is it, kitten?” he murmured against the fleshy roundness of her thigh, “What do you need?” 

She was heartbreakingly perfect, a little pink vision, all his, and he would give her anything she asked for.

“F-fuck me,” she whined, voice breaking with need, and yes- he could most definitely do that.

“You want my cock, little one?” he groaned, rising to his knees to shuck off the pajamas he still wore.

“Yes, please,” she moaned, and he knew it wasn’t play. She wanted him inside her, filling her, and he was more than obliged to give in to her demands. His dripping length was throbbing, angry and red from being neglected thus far, and he swirled the tip against her clit, making them both shudder with desire.

“So pretty, kitten,” he sighed, watching his cockhead slide through her folds, coating her with his precum, pink furry tail peeking out from between her ass cheeks,

“Hux,” she whimpered, hips jerking up impatiently. He pressed the thick tip of his cock against her entrance and let out a long, breathy groan as he filled her, the toy in her ass pressing into the underside of him through her thin wall of muscle.

He’d wanted to treat her gently today but she was so tight and wet and warm and muscle memory was a bitch. His hips slapped against hers with a loud, wet smack, her name tumbling from his lips as he fucked her, hitting that tender spot inside her over and over until she was clenching sporadically around him. He watched her bare breasts bounce in time with his thrusts, accompanied by the tag on her collar, the collar than marked her as his and _fuck_ if it didn’t sooth a wretched, possessive part of him to see it. He felt his balls tighten just as the thought.

Then his eyes wandered over her face, the beautiful line of her jaw, her perfect lips, parted in pleasure, and he found that her eyes were on him, watching him with interest as he shook above her, and it was too much. His mouth sought hers, kissing her with abandon, and he slid a hand between them to rub at her eager bundle of nerves. He swallowed all her moans and when he felt her legs begin to tremble, _he_ begged _her_

“Yes, cum for me- please,” he panted, “Please, love, want to feel you cum.”

She clenched tightly, so tight he could hardly pull away from her, making him rock his hips against hers instead, his fingers rubbing furiously at her clit as she let out a strangled cry and then he was right there with her, shaking with the force of his orgasm as he pumped her full of white hot ropes of his cum. His breath came out in thick, hot waves over her skin and he reached up with a trembling hand to unhook one of her cuffs from the rope, letting her bring her arms down. He murmured praises and little bits of loving nonsense into her hair as they came down together.

When he’d softened, he reluctantly rolled off of her and crawled between her legs to help ease the toy out of her slick hole. He wiped it off with a cleanser wipe and left it on the nightstand while he pulled the comforters over them, both covered in their sweat and cum and sticking slightly to the sheets; perfection.

“You spoiled me today,” she mused, her voice a little hoarse. His fingers played in her hair lazily. 

“I was going to wait until Wednesday but I thought we could both use a special day,” he hummed, the picture of contentment with her in his arms.

“Wednesday?”

“I know how much you care about holidays.”

She pulled back a little to look at him with a frown.

“Holidays?”

“Are we a cat or a parrot?” he teased but when the confused expression on her face didn’t fade away, worry crept its way into his mind.

“Rey,” he swallowed, heart thrumming in panic. “You- you do know what Wednesday is, right?”

She shook her head. Oh, no. _No, no, no._ He wanted to sink into a pit in the ground from mortification. He could see her wracking her brain and coming up empty. He was a fool.

“What day is it Wednesday?” she finally asked with such innocent curiosity it made him feel light headed.

“Rey,” he groaned, closing his eyes and wishing he could disappear- he’d made pancakes, for God's sake and he bought all the- the gifts and he’d-

“What?” she asked, curiosity well past piqued now, “What day is it?”

“Rey…it’s Valentine’s Day.”

She nearly bolted up right. 

“Oh, my gosh! I- I forgot! We were fighting and- Oh, God, Hux!”

She pressed a hand to his chest and laughed and no, please, he thought, no laughing right now.

“I’ve never had a Valentine!” she confessed gleefully. 

He opened his eyes and looked up at her. She was smiling brilliantly at him, cheeks rosy. His heart thudded noisily against his chest and he reached up, brushing his thumb across her lips, not even registering the movement until she was nuzzling into his palm, and then her eyes were on his again and he’d said the words without even realizing it.

“I love you, Rey.”

Her mouth fell open, breath hitching audibly in her throat. Her eyes went wide.

Somewhere, tucked deep in the back of one of Hux’s many sock drawers; the argyle wool drawer, to be exact, sat a little black velvet box with a ring inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Coco de Mer is a real luxury BDSM shop, one I imagine Hux would shop at. 
> 
> If you're ever in London, I highly recommend visiting their shop and splurging on a ridiculously expensive buttplug. Or kitty cat ears. Here's their online store!
> 
> https://www.coco-de-mer.com
> 
> Remember to clean your sex toys after playtime!


	23. I've Been Waiting For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashbacks first, and then the moment we've all awaited with baited breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was originally VERY different. I reworked it a lot and ended up moving almost everything I'd written to a future chapter. I think I'm finally satisfied with it. Sorry it took so long. I love you.
> 
> P.S. Check out this artwork by Elithien!
> 
>  
> 
> <http://elithien.tumblr.com/post/175953900989/elithien-reyux-fic-commission-textile-as-a>  
> 

**A rainy day in November…**

_Rey was perched on a mahogany colored leather chair in the corner of Hux’s home office. Outside, drops of rain clung to the windows, accumulating in rivulets, forming their own little rivers and streams. She pulled her thick sweatshirt up further around her neck, sinking down in the chair, looking for a comfortable position as she balanced the open binder in her lap._

_Hux watched her adjust from the corner of his eye, his gaze falling on the red pen she held captive in between her pouty pink lips. His own work sat in front of him, slowly coming together. It was odd the way they’d somehow gone from absolutely filthy, wall-shaking, back-scratching sex to lazily cuddling on the sofa, to this. They’d been focused on their respective work in companionable silence for awhile now but every time she shifted, it alerted him to her presence._

_The sound of the rain speeding up seemed loud in the cool quiet of the office, accompanied only by pen scratching against paper. He’d never felt comfortable having others around while he worked but that’s exactly what this felt like. Comfortable. She drew her legs up underneath her, gaining his attention again. He leaned back in his chair, turning a little to face her fully. Her hair was pulled up into a messy ponytail and pieces had fallen out, brushing her cheeks._

_“Still grading?”_

_She looked up and a smile spread slowly across her face._

_“The semester’s almost over. Lots of big projects and tests,” she sighed._

_“You’ll be working more hours at La Premier soon,” he mused._

_“Mhm,” she hummed, reading over the paper on her lap again, chewing the pen cap. A moment passed. Maybe two. She heard him stand, only just aware of the sound as she flipped between quizzes. She wasn’t sure how long he was gone but dimly, she noted when he returned, the heavy wooden door clicking closed._

_She looked up just in time to see him holding out a cup of tea to her, steam gently rolling off the creamy beige liquid. A throw blanket was draped over his arm. Lips slightly parted in surprise, she took the saucer from him silently and held up the binder full of quizzes as he laid the blanket over her lap._

_He took his seat once again, setting down his own cup of tea on his desk. He leaned over his work, picking up his pen to resume detailing the unfurling petal of a chrysanthemum, his back to her once more._

_“You seemed cold.”_

_Rey’s cheeks flushed at his words and she brought the cup of tea to her lips, letting the warmth roll across her skin. She took a sip. Her eyes widened a little._

_Earl grey, with lots of milk and sugar. He had remembered._

**A cold January evening…**

_Hux was pacing behind her, the smell of cigarette smoke hanging heavy in the room, rich and soothing, like expensive coffee dripping into a cup. She could hear his footfalls echoing on the hardwood. She stood with her nose against the wall, a silk Hermès scarf tied around her head, bunched between her teeth. She’d tried not to think about the fact that she was getting drool all over a veritable work of art when he’d placed it between her lips. Her breath filtered through the fabric, hot and misty._

_The intricate lace of the sample bra she’d been modeling for him earlier that day rasped against her straining nipples and she bit back a groan, shifting as best she could. Her arms were tied behind her with a ribbon covered in the Chanel logo. A corset from one of Hux’s early collections she’d admired was pulled fiercely tight around her waist was putting dizzying pressure on her lower stomach, making her squirm impatiently. Her bottom, however, was left bare, the toys stuffing both her twitching holes held in by straps._

_He clicked his tongue against his teeth and the tapping sound of a glass ashtray against wood told her he’d snuffed out his cigarette, signaling the end of this punishment. Rey drew a deep breath. It had been torturous, waiting for him to retrieve his papers, roll the tobacco, and leisurely enjoy his smoke while she faced the wall, filled to the brim and desperate for relief._

_But she supposed that’s what she got for mouthing off. She felt his hands at the back of her head, tugging at the fabric, and finally, the spit-damp scarf fell from her lips. Her jaw clicked slightly as she worked her mouth open and closed, licking at her lips._

_“Are we ready to apologize?”_

_“Sorry, sir,” Rey mumbled, trying not to tremble. His hand wrapped around her jaw, stroking her soft skin before gracing her with the barest blush of a kiss. He hummed and took her by her slim upper arm, guiding her to the bed and pushing her chest down so her ass was displayed for him._

_“You know I have to correct your behavior when you insist on being naughty,” he murmured, cupping one of her plush cheeks in his hand. She shivered._

_“Does it hurt you more than it hurts me?” she quipped before she could stop herself. A brat through and through. He didn’t dignify her barb with an answer._

_“Still feeling cheeky?” he tutted, though she suspected he was working had to conceal a pearl of laughter. She grinned until she felt the tingle of leather rubbing between her thighs and over her stretched pussy lips._

_“You know what to do, naughty girl.”_

_The riding crop came down hard and fast and she gasped loudly, barely managing not to curse- vulgarity would only get her more punishments and she needed to cum yesterday._

_“One,” she ground out. She didn’t have to turn around to know Hux was smirking smugly. He loved that damn riding crop. The leather stung her backside four more times until he relented, soothing the red welts that bloomed with his cool hands._

_“And now? How are we feeling, darling? A bit more contrite, I’d imagine.”_

_“Yes, sir,” she answered obediently, more than a little worked up and ready for him to make her cum. He preened and shuddered at those words- his favorite words in the whole word- as he palmed his stiff member through his pajama bottoms. The tip was threatening to poke out past the hem and he decided their game had gone on too long now. He swiftly set about undoing the ribbon around her wrists before reaching for a bottle of lube. He massaged the feeling back into her shoulders and hands as he kicked off his pants and underwear, leaving his throbbing cock to bob against her pretty ass, all covered in the proof of his punishments, of his ownership._

_He notched a finger into the ring of the steel buttplug nestled into the tight hole that she showed off wantonly, pulling apart her cheeks with her now freed hands, making him groan low. He pulled gently, watching her tight ring of muscle flutter around the toy as it slowly slipped from her. Dropping the toy onto the bed, he slicked her once again with the lube, spreading it with his thumb and pressing into her experimentally, earning him a high pitched whine._

_“Tell me what you need, little girl,” he moaned, intensely focused on her pretty pink pucker._

_“Fuck me,” she sobbed. He pulled his hand away and spread more of the liquid onto his cock, tugging it over her shaking form for a beat before rubbing his throbbing head against her entrance._

_She gasped and tensed._

_He stilled, leaning forward to nose into her thick chestnut waves._

_“Yellow?” he asked gently. She swallowed and shook her head._

_“Green.”_

_He trusted her._

_She trusted him._

_He positioned himself once again and nudged forward until her muscles relaxed and pulled him in. He cursed under his breath, gripping her hip as he exhaled deeply, sliding into her tight, slicked hole._

_“Oh, fuck, Rey,” he groaned, leaning back to watch as he pushed in further, every inch of his cock filling her and rubbing against the toy pressed up against her g-spot through her thin inner wall. Her clit rubbed into the soft bedspread below just right and she whined low in her throat, squirming her hips and drawing excited gasps from Hux._

_“Is- is it all the way…?” she asked, panting. He let out a puff of laughter and shook his head, although she couldn’t see him._

_“It’s just past the tip, darling.”_

_She groaned and he made a soft, sympathetic cooing noise, bending over her to kiss her upper back gently, mouthing along her spine._

_“Rey...if it’s too much-”_

_“No,” she cut him off, biting her lip shamefully. “More…please, sir.”_

_Hux hummed deeply, a rumbling kind of growl in his chest that she felt against her back. He pulled out minutely, only to push back in. She jumped and moaned, thrusting her ass back towards him, arching her spine like a cat in heat until his hips met her backside and he seethed with pleasure._

_“Oh,” he groaned, voice cracking as pink spread from his cheeks down to color his pale chest. He closed his eyes to try to regain some of his composure before her writhing and gasping took hold of him and he began rocking in and out of her with shallow thrusts, each snap of his hips producing a wet slapping sound of skin on skin. His hand squeezed between her hip and the bed to find her clit, rubbing it in tight little circles, bringing her higher with him._

_“God, kitten, your little ass is gripping me so tight,” he huffed, letting himself thrust a little harder when she responded with needy moans. He fucked her until she thought she could see stars, each push of his cock filling her up just right, making the toy in her other hole bump against the sensitive patch of nerves inside her. His other hand moved across her ass, giving the round, reddened globe one good smack before massaging it roughly. He felt her legs begin to tremble and trailed his hand up her back until he met her head, grabbing a fistful of her silky waves and tugging her back towards him._

_“You’re my perfect little slut, aren’t you, darling?” he grumbled close to her ear as his, pace beginning to quicken and grow erratic._

_She thought she felt her eyes roll back as she tried to choke out, “Yes, sir,” and then heard him repeat, “My perfect, precious little slut,” and it was too much to hold back. With a frantic cry, she came hard, squirting onto the mattress below, her cum coating both of their thighs._

_He stilled as she came, and in her haze, she thought he shouted a curse. Her ass clenched so tightly around him, it nearly forced his cock out and he shook with the feeling, his own orgasm tingling just behind his balls, tights and heavy with his load. He withdrew as tenderly as he could, hissing at the sensation and flipped her onto her back. His hand wrapped around his cock and he stroked himself over her body until he cried out her name, painting her tits and lingerie with his cum._

_“Fuck, Rey,” he panted, kneeling between her legs as he undid the straps that kept the toy inside her still twitching cunt, easing it from her gently to lap at her drenched slit. She jerked and gasped, her body oversensitized, and he settled for licking her cum off her thighs, nuzzling into their wet heat._

_“Nn- Hux,” she breathed, head spinning slightly. He stood and pulled the lacy cups of her bra down, his hands working his cum into her skin as he bent over her to place reverent kisses there. His lips wrapped around a pretty flushed nipple as he tweaked the other between his fingers. He could never get enough of her breasts._

_“Mine,” he sighed between her cum covered tits, his lips and tongue dragging across her skin lazily. Her fingers carded through his bright orange locks, raking her nails over his scalp as a slow, dazed smile spread over her lips. “You’re so perfect, Rey.”_

_“You are too,” she chirped, sounding sleepy and sated. She giggled, and he glanced up curiously._

_“You need to make a new sample,” she laughed, turning a pointed look down to the ruined bra._

_“Worth it,” he purred, stretching up to kiss her softly. He helped her out of her bra and corset and pressed a kiss to her temple._

_“I think we’re in need of a warm washcloth, hm?” he chuckled. She smiled happily and nodded, scooting up the bed. He handed her a bottle of water from the nightstand and treaded into the bathroom. She lay among the pillows content for a moment, drinking her water._

_It happened slowly, and then suddenly it hit her before she knew what was happening. Her throat went tight and panic weaved its way into her chest, enveloping her heart like some struggling thing caught in a spider’s web. Her breathing became short and difficult to control and she had the sense of being dropped from many stories high, an unwilling passenger on a carnival ride._

_When Hux returned, her eyes were growing red with the promise of tears and her face and chest were becoming flushed and ruddy in a way that had nothing to do with their previous activities. He rushed to the bed, crawling in beside her and scooping her into his arms._

_“Ssh,” he whispered to her, nosing into her hair and rubbing her arms and hands softly. He mentally cursed himself for walking away from her._

_“What’s wrong, little one?” he asked with a gentleness that was new and instantly made her relax against him. She shook her head, unable to speak. Even if she could, she wasn’t sure what to say. She was fine a moment ago and now she felt foolish for getting so upset. He continued to kiss at her shoulder and cheek, making small soothing sounds._

_“It’s okay,” he whispered to her, taking the warm towel and sliding it along her sticky thighs. “We just came down too fast, huh?”_

_She swallowed and nodded, hiding her face against his arm that was curled around her._

_“I’ve got you,” he promised, and she sighed, her whole body going lax. The washcloth rubbed over her still sensitive pussy lips, soothing her, and she realized she’d never felt so cared for and safe. After a few minutes, he encouraged her to drink some more water. She did as she was told and turned to nuzzle into his chest, feeling calm and happy once more._

_When she looked up, he was staring down at her with such warmth and devotion, it made her whole body feel light. He kissed her until they fell asleep._

**Earlier last month…**

_Poe set down a box on the floor before straightening with a low whistle. He tugged off his Gucci baseball cap by the rim and rubbed his sleeve over his forehead, where sweat had begun to appear and then pushed back his hair, putting the cap on backwards._

_“You and Hux, huh?”_

_Rey blushed and shrugged, trying to look casual as she helped Finn pull books out of a box and arrange them on a shelf- all young adult adventure stories that he was hopelessly nerdy over._

_“Please don’t ask me how it happened…it’s too weird.”_

_Poe’s eyebrows rose with interest and he grinned but held up his hands in surrender when Finn shot him a look of warning over his shoulder._

_“Hey, who am I to judge, right?” he laughed, going into a kitchen to grab a beer from the mostly empty fridge. Finn chewed at his lips and turned away so Rey couldn’t see his sheepish expression at his boyfriend’s words, smiling despite his mild embarrassment._

_Poe came back into the living room and handed both of them their own bottles, pausing to give Finn a peck before plopping down beside them. Rey smiled at the scene. This was the first time all three of them had really hung out together but so far, it was going good._

_“What a small world, though, huh?” Poe laughed, throwing back his drink._

_“Tell me about it,” she huffed, raising her eyebrows with a small smirk._

_“So, uh,” Poe cleared his throat, still grinning wolfishly, “Does ol’ sourpuss know about…,” he trailed off, gesturing between him and Finn with his beer bottle._

_“Not…exactly,” Rey coughed, looking up to the ceiling with sudden fascination._

_“It’s not going to be a problem, though,” Finn rushed to assure him before looking at Rey. “Right?”_

_“Of course not,” she scoffed, rolling her eyes with a wide smile._

_“So, when are you moving in to his place?” Poe asked, switching the topic._

_“Day after tomorrow,” she beamed. Finn smiled at her, lovingly but clearly a bit nervous._

_“You must be pretty serious,” Poe said, grinning at her excitement. Rey’s own smile falter for a second._

_“Well…,” she hesitated, uncertain of what to say. “I- yeah, I guess.” She rubbed at her neck and took another swig of her drink, leaning back against the bookcase._

_“You guess?” Finn asked. She fiddled with her sleeve._

_“Anyone that can put up with Hux enough to be around him that much has got to love him,” Poe chortled, slapping his knee before quickly adding, “No offense, though!” Rey laughed, shaking her head._

_“None taken,” she replied, “I know he’s not the easiest person to get along with, especially if you’re, well,” she shrugged and Poe nodded, amused. He might as well be Hux’s adversary._

_“But we have more in common than I think people realize,” she continued, “and he- God, he’s so brilliant. And funny! Not funny ha-ha, but he does these little dry quips and- and he’s actually really caring, you know? Considerate.”_

_The corner’s of Finn’s lips tugged up and he exchanged a meaningful glance with Poe, taking his hand in his own. Poe smiled back and leaned against the sofa, propping his chin up with a hand as they listened to Rey prattle on.  
“And this one time, he-,” she stopped to laugh to herself before catching onto another tangent, “And oh- oh, my God, he,” she sighed, clasping a hand over her chest and letting her eyes close, “I mean, you know, I thought he dressed a bit stiff at first but seeing him in a crisp suit just really, really does something for me now. He’s just- well, he’s gorgeous- and he’s got these eyes-”_

_Finn cleared his throat, cutting her off before she could start gushing about things best left private. She had the sense to look appropriately embarrassed before turning to Poe, who only waggled his eyebrows at her with a shit-eating grin._

_Fuck._

-

The room had fallen silent.

Rey could hear her heart pounding in her head. He’d said it. He said he loved her.

“You…,” she whispered, needing to hear it again. Hux swallowed. If he was going to back out, now was the time.

“I love you,” he reiterated with purposeful clarity. Her eyes darted around his face like crazy, moving from this feature to that, every second a lifetime in limbo, caught in the space between. Would she condemn him to hell? It was agony, and then, just when he thought he couldn’t stand another moment of her silence, she threaded her fingers into his hair and hiccupped a wet sounding laugh, her eyes shining.

“I love you, too.”

And then the floodgates opened.

They kissed like they’d never kissed, like they’d been starved for touch all their lives. They made love and he couldn’t stop saying it, imprinting it on her skin with his teeth and his tongue. 

“I love you, I love you, I love you,” he whispered, face pressed to her breasts, bent over her and rutting into her with everything he had. He didn’t need to say, “ _Tell me you love me, too_ ,” to ask her to repeat herself, to clarify. She heard his silent pleas in the way his arms trembled around her. She recognized his need because it echoed in her.

“I love _you_ ,” she reassured him again and again and when his eyes would meet her she would smile and nod. “I do.”

And nothing after that was quite the same. 

They continued on as before, going to work, coming home, fixing dinner, going to bed, and in the moments that were all to themselves, he found new ways to tie her up on ever surface in the house. But everything felt new somehow. Their touches came easier, floating on clouds together, living in a constant state of beauty and love. They worked feverishly on new designs, feeding one another’s creativity. The excitement over the upcoming collection they had poured themselves into was electric, alight with their new revelation. 

Hux’s world had flipped on its head. 

The phrase he’d feared for so long became his constant mantra. He told her when they woke up, and when they went to sleep. He whispered it to her when he fingered her below the cover of the broad table in the workshop. He murmured it when he kissed her after she showed him how she fixed the pipe under the kitchen sink that had been making that odd clunking sound.

“I love you.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, over 5,000 hits! I feel like I should do something to celebrate but what??
> 
> Thank you all so, so much for reading and leaving comments and kudos, it means the world to me. If you'd like to support my writing, you can find out how on my tumblr! 
> 
> https://hattoripornzo.tumblr.com/


	24. Knowing Me, Knowing You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Well, you wanted angst.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 100,000 words! Woo hoo! Now I have another reason to celebrate...and no clue what to do.

David Bowie was playing, the richness of the vinyl recording floating through the room. There were boxes spread across the floor of his home office and his jacket and tie had long been misplaced, probably somewhere with his shoes. Hux was sitting in front of a bookcase with a glass of scotch in his hand, Rey curled between his legs digging through some forgotten old casket filled with the remnants of another life. 

They were supposed to be rearranging his things and getting organized in anticipation of their new projects but she’d found one of his hidden away bins from yesteryear and she’d always been a terribly curious little thing. She gasped, discovering yet another treasure.

“What on earth,” Rey laughed, utterly bewildered as she pulled a stack of photos out. They were all of a young, long haired ginger boy, gangly and severe looking, posing as though he was experiencing pains in various parts of his body, draped in melancholy fashions.

“Oh, God,” Hux groaned, covering his eyes. “I didn’t know I still had those.”

“What is this, your goth phase or something?” she giggled, flipping though the stack of pictures. 

“I modeled when I was at university,” he snorted, tipping his glass back against his lips. Perhaps it was the scotch, but he wasn’t as mortified as he thought he would be at her discovery of his short-lived modeling career.

“Really?” she asked, sounding impressed as she inspected the photo evidence. 

“You are very pretty,” she hummed, deciding it made sense as she looked at the pained expressions of young Hux, clad in avant garde designs, “Very Vogue.” His mouth twitched into a smile and he nuzzled against her cheek. 

“You’re very pretty,” he corrected, kissing her neck. It had been a month since he made his sudden confession and life had been nothing short of blissful, all of his fears and concerns over the sustainability of their relationship quieted. They’d been together for almost half a year now and although they had only recently confessed their true feelings, it worked. They worked. And he was smiling more than he ever had. She tilted her head back to kiss him, his lips scotch-wet and tingling. 

“We should really frame some of these,” she said.

“Maybe. Let’s finish tomorrow,” he chuckled, tracing her neck with lazy kisses, “We’ll get a fresh start on the new collection.” 

“I’m so excited,” she beamed, letting him help her up off the floor, “I feel like this is the first big, important thing I’m doing with my career. But I’m terrified, too? I just want everything to be perfect, you know?”

He laughed, hooking an arm around her waist as they made their way to the bedroom.

“You’re only 22, Rey. You’ve got plenty of time to do big, important things.”

She bit the corner of her lip.

“I’ll be 23 soon, actually.”

He paused, looking down at her, surprise evident on his face. It shouldn’t have taken him aback as it did. He’d known her since last September and she’d never mentioned her birthday. Of course it was bound to come up sooner or later.

“You didn’t tell me that,” he breathed. She shrugged and looked away, trying to smile to defuse the sudden heaviness of the moment.

“I mean- I don’t really know for sure. I never knew my actual birthday. The NSPCC people just chose May 1st at random, I think. I don’t normally celebrate it. It seems silly.”

He cupped her chin in one hand, forcing her to look up at him. What she saw when their eyes met was nothing short of devotion. He kissed her deeply and pressed his forehead to hers.

“If you don’t want to celebrate, I understand, but the fact that you were born means very much to me, Rey. If it would make you happy, I’d spare no expense to make sure you understand that.”

She studied his face for half a beat before breaking into a grin.

“Maybe a birthday party wouldn’t be so bad this year.”

He graced her with a smile and placed a kiss atop her head.

“Anything for you, love.”

-

Hux glided down the stark hallway, buttoning his jacket and smoothing a hand over his stiffly gelled bright copper hair. This meeting had been put off for weeks now. Something about the very idea of it made his stomach turn. He clutched his leather portfolio tighter.

“Mr. Hux,” a tired looking older man huffed in greeting when he rounded the corner.

“Peavy,” he acknowledged before moving towards the door that lead to Snoke’s office, stopping short w when he noticed that the other man seemed to be walking away.

“You’re not joining us?”

Peavy paused, casting a weary look over his shoulder.

“Mr. Snoke would like to discuss this with you…alone,” he droned.

“He’ll see you now,” Snoke’s secretary intoned from behind her desk, gaining his attention. He turned and cleared his throat inconspicuously, tugging at his suit jacket once more before striding confidently to the large, imposing door and walking inside. It closed behind him with a dismal thud.

“Armitage,” Snoke laughed, sending a chill up Hux’s spine. “Come in. Sit down.”

“Mr. Snoke,” he greeted, taking the seat across from the massive black desk.

“I see you’ve brought me something?”

He handed him the folio from across the desl and set down a large black box with their label printed.

“These designs are for our Fall collection.”

Snoke unhooked the clasp on the folio’s cover, pulling the papers from its folds and spreading them on his desk. The designs had much of the same look as the ones Peavy had brought him. The sensuality of the pieces lacked the dark and dangerous edge that his previous collections flaunted. His use of colors was liberal but the pallets were soft and natural. Intricate floral embroidery decorated dark, sheer pieces. Foxes and rabbits leapt in bold threaded bounds across delicate silk. Gardens sprouted from the hems of corsets, stretching up to unfurl their petals towards lace cups as though whoever wore the pieces were the sun.

Snoke scowled.

“It’s all very…maudlin, isn’t it?”

Hux stiffened.

“Perhaps,” he supplied cautiously, moving the papers around to place his vision board front and center, removing the lid from the sample box to show him product mock ups.

“The title of the collection is Eden. As you can see, we took much of our inspiration from nature-”

“We?” Snoke interrupted. Hux raked his nails across his palm.

“Ms. Sanderson and I. We collaborated very closely on this project. As you may recall, I had wanted to bring her to this meeting…,” he trailed off, alluding to Snoke’s refusal to have a mere assistant join them for this. Eerie blue eyes roved over the designs, all delicate lace and flowery adoration, starry-eyed poems written in thread and ribbon.

“I can see that.” The old, craggily man sat back in his chair, regarding Hux with a cruel smile. “You know, Armitage, this is, well,” he chuckled and Hux tried not to shudder, “ _cute_. But it’s not in keeping with La Premier’s image, is it?

“I believe our clients will see this as a breath of fresh air,” Hux countered carefully, “It shows that we’re capable of more than one note.”

“A breath of fresh air?” Snoke mused, his expression darkening as he picked up one of the designs, studying it. “I’m afraid I disagree.”

Snoke gathered the papers and Hux watched, heart sinking into his stomach, as he crumpled them together and threw them in the waste basket by his desk. 

He bolted to his feet, face going red as he struggled to draw even breaths.

“Oh, don’t be so dramatic. This,” he scoffed, picking up a softly hued bra, “is worse than the romantic nonsense you were designing when I took you on. What we sell here is _sex_ , Hux. Not this overemotional fiction you’ve contrived. I hired you here because I thought you understood that.”

Hux’s knuckles turned white in his fists. The iron taste of blood filled his mouth as he bit into his cheek.

“I warned you last time not to disappoint me, Armitage. Don’t you dare fucking throw an artist’s tantrum after you deliberately went against me,” Snoke hissed.

“What exactly do you expect me to do?” Hux seethed. “This collection is supposed to launch-”

“I expect you to do your job, Mr. Hux,” Snoke retorted, rising to his full height to loom over him menacingly. “Do it over. All of it.”

“That’s impossible,” Hux began before he was cut off by the sound of Snoke’s fist pounding his desk.

“It wouldn’t have been necessary if you hadn’t failed me in the first place,” he roared, causing Hux to stumble back a step.“I had hoped fucking your little assistant would inspire you-”

At the mention of Rey, his eyes widened and he released a shuddering breath, willing himself not to shake with rage.

“But if _this_ is what she’s filling your head with, I suggest disposing of her.”

Fury thundered through his veins, his senses working overtime as his blood coursed with adrenaline. He didn’t know if he wanted to turn and storm out or leap across the desk and choke the old bastard to death. He’d devoted everything to this job- everything. All those years spent, all that time, effort, climbing to the top and-

His hands unfurled at his sides, expression turning deadly cold. He collected his portfolio and the sample box. He strode to the door.

“This is your last chance, Hux,” Snoke called before he could walk out. “Prove to me you can be of some goddamn use.”

He nodded once and left.

-

“So when are you going to break the news?”

Rey groaned into the phone, chewing at her lip.

“I don’t know, Finn, I mean, I would love to have you guys over- hell, Hux even told me to invite you…”

“I thought you said Poe working at House Organa wouldn’t be a big deal,” Finn huffed from the other line, clearly irritated.

“And it’s not,” Rey assured him, “It’s just…a little awkward for my best friend’s boyfriend to be _my_ boyfriend’s competition…what if you guys come over for dinner and Hux has some kind of stress related episode?”

“Rey, he’s 35, he’s not going to have a heart attack.”

“I didn’t say a _heart attack_. And besides, I think you’re underestimating just how tightly wound he is,” she snorted. “Plus, things are so weird at work right now, you know? Everyone’s all tense.”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” she sighed, “like this meeting today. I worked really hard on this new collection but the boss only wants to see him? And everyone here seems so rigid lately, like we’re all walking on eggshells...”

“I thought that was normal for that place.”

“Well, that’s true,” she laughed, sinking down into the chaise lounge she’d spread out on, having nothing else to do. She heard the door click and looked up to see Hux walk into the workroom.

“Gotta go, Finn, we’ll talk later,” she said into the phone before walking up to where Hux had started sorting through fabrics.

“Hey,” she said warily, noticing his stiff posture, “How did the meeting go?”

He answered her with a bitter laugh, shaking his head.

“I’m starting over.”

Rey nearly dropped her phone, her mouth falling open in shock as she tried to process his words. 

“ _What_ ?” she choked out.

He said nothing.

“Hux,” Rey laughed, wanting to belief it wasn’t true, “You’re kidding, right? This is a joke.”

She watched him work his jaw and panic set in at an exponential rate.

“No, it is not a joke,” he said at last, turning to brush past her towards his office, “I have work to do.” She followed him, outraged and bewildered, struggling not to shout in the hallway where others might hear.

“I don’t understand. Everything was _done_ , we were getting ready to talk to the manufacturers,” she babbled aloud once they were in his office.

“Welcome to the fashion industry,” he said icily from his desk, not bothering to look up from his computer. Her throat tightened. Hot, angry tears bloomed behind her eyes, threatening to spill over. She wanted to walk away, to get some space and come back to talk about it later but he was being _so_ -

“What did Snoke say to you?” she demanded, coming up to the desk, her eyes boring into him.

“We’re wasting time,” he hissed, narrowing his eyes her. She let out an incredulous sound, half way between anger and disbelief, crossing her arms over her chest. All her hard work, the nights spent planning this collection, the first project that she would have really felt she’d contributed to creatively in the industry- it was all up in flames.

She couldn’t bare it. 

She stormed out of the office, her head tilted back to keep the tears from spilling over. She grabbed her purse and jacket from the workroom and trotted down the hall, heels clacking a furious beat on the slick tile floors, refusing to slow down when Mitaka tried handing her a stack of papers meant for Hux.

“He’s in his office,” she shouted over her shoulder, unable to keep her personal feelings from reaching her voice. 

-

Hux didn’t see Rey again until he got home. She was sitting in the kitchen in a holey t-shirt and sweatpants, drinking a beer and fiddling with her phone, halfway laying over the island countertop. Angry hazel eyes met his when he came in. He was still in his suit and hadn’t yet removed his shoes or loosened his tie. A silent beat passed between them before he spoke.

“You can’t just leave work when you have a tantrum.”

His voice was soft. It didn’t sooth the sting of his words. She scrubbed a hand over her face and laughed bitterly.

“So I should just be fine with all my work getting tossed out?” she asked.

He frowned, pale brows coming together.

“It was _my_ collection. I don’t see why _you_ have to be so dramatic over it.”

Her head snapped up from the countertop causing her beer to knock over. It rolled off the counter and hit the ground hard, shattering and covering the floor in bits of clear glass and yellow liquid. She stumbled off of her chair and he cursed under his breath, waving her away as he went to get the dustpan and broom. 

Her eyes felt hot and bleary, her face flushed. She swiped at her nose with the back of her hand as he began to clear the broken glass off the floor. He emptied the dustpan into the garbage and saw that it was full of similar bottles.

“Jesus, Rey, how much have you had to drink?” he asked, voice thick with concern.

“Fuck off,” she huffed, laughing without any real amusement. 

“Are you drunk?” he repeated, never having seen her more than a little tipsy.

“That collection never would have come together if it weren’t for me!” she shouted, her voice suddenly raising an octave, making him jump. “Your collection- _fucking bullshit_.”

Hux worked his jaw and clenched his fists.

“ _Stop it, Rey_.”

“Then fucking tell me!” she cried, shaking with anger. 

“That collection should never have existed!” Hux exploded, “It wasn’t La Premiere and I had no business trying to bring _our_ sex life into my work!”

She stumbled back. Tears poured down her cheeks.

“It’s a little late to complain about mixing sex and work, don’t you think?” 

“Those pieces didn’t fit our aesthetic-“

“La Premiere’s or yours?” she interrupted. Hux rubbed at his eyes, drawing deep, unsteady breaths.

“What did Snoke say to you?” Rey pressed.

“He knows we’re fucking,” Hux spat resentfully, his face red with distress.

“Fucking?” she echoed softly. Her eyes looked almost glazed over as they lowered, seemingly transfixed by the veins in the marble countertop. “ _Fucking_?”

He swallowed, mouth dry, and before he could say anything else, her lips parted and her voice rang out, so small and devastated that it made his heart wrench.  
“I thought you _loved_ me.”

He sucked in a shaky breath.

“Rey-”

“I’m going to bed,” she mumbled, picking up her phone and pushing past him on less than sturdy legs. He remained screwed to the spot and listened as she marched off in the opposite direction of their bedroom until he heard her footfalls on the stairs.

He went to bed alone, but did not sleep.

-

The morning light seemed too cheerful, Hux thought, drinking his tea at the kitchen counter and tapping his foot nervously against the barstool. 

When he heard her shuffle into the room, he looked up from his cup to see her looking as awful as he did- her hair hopelessly mussed, eyes red and puffy. She shielded her sensitive gaze from the light and he winced sympathetically, standing to bring her an Aspirin and a glass of water. She waved it away, coming to stand by the counter instead. 

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, closing the distance between them to kiss her forehead. Her eyes slid shut for only a moment before she peeled herself away from him.

“What are you sorry for this time?” she asked, surprising herself with the coldness of her voice. 

“Rey,” he faltered, scared and unsure.

“You’re the head designer Hux,” she pressed on, even as she wished she would just _stop_ , head pounding. “It’s not fair that Snoke gets to decide what you put on the runway.”

“You know it’s not that simple,” he scoffed, “We have to consider the brand, and the market, what the owner wants.”

“Snoke wouldn’t know fashion if it hit him upside his head,” she huffed angrily. He took a deep calming breath and reached for her hand, smoothing his thumb over the back of her wrist. She glanced up to see the bags under his eyes that matched her own.

“La Premiere Ordre has a method,” he started to explain, “This is how the industry works-“

“Why don’t you just admit you’re too scared to defend our work?” she scoffed, pulling her hand away from his.

“Excuse me?” he blanched, stomach doing flip flops over her words as they continued to spill from her lips.

“This keeps happening, Hux. Last time, it was just a few designs. So he didn’t like the samples- okay. This time, it was a whole fucking collection. You could have your own label but instead you’re working for this slime-bag. I don’t understand why you just lie there and take it. Who in their right mind could put up with this? Who could work this way?” She sounded broken and hurt as she pushed a hand through her greasy hair.

His hand gripped the countertop tightly as words flew unbidden through his mind: 

_“He was always a weak willed boy. Thin as a slip of paper and just as useless.”_

_“If this is what she’s filling your head with, I suggest disposing of her.”_

“Then maybe La Premiere isn’t a good fit for you.”

The words had left his mouth before he’d even realized it. It wasn’t supposed to sound like he didn’t want her there, that he didn’t think she was good at her job or that she should go-

“Maybe _we’re_ not a good fit.”

The room spun. Dread clawed deep, ugly red gashes inside his chest. Surely he had heard her wrong.

“Rey?”

He hated how weak his own voice sounded. He was exactly what they’d all said, he-

“I think we should take a break,” she whispered.

He blinked slowly. “What?”

“I’m going to stay with Finn for awhile,” she replied softly, shuffling her feet against the kitchen floor. His gaze fell to them and as he withdrew from the conversation mentally, he wondered if she was cold without any socks on. 

“For how long?” he asked, quiet, almost placid.

“I don’t know…I just need- I need to go. I need some space.”

He nodded and his hand reached for his tea, body on autopilot. 

“I’ll see you at work, then,” he muttered, feeling far away. 

He was only semi-aware of her leaving the kitchen. The sound of the shower. He retrieved his cigarettes and lit one, a slight tremor making his hands unsteady. His eyes followed her form as she shuffled through the kitchen awkwardly, her wet hair clinging to the sides of her face and neck. The smell of her shampoo, beckoning cruelly. Millicent padded after her as she made her way to the bedroom- their bedroom- to collect her things.

When she appeared again, his cigarette was nearly burnt out, yet he kept it between his fingers, pressed to his lips, a poor substitute for her kiss. She had a duffle bag on her shoulder and her skateboard under her arm. Even then, he felt a twinge of warmth in his chest, seeing her with the gift he’d given her for Christmas, the first Christmas present he’d purchased in years. It burned out like his cigarette, leaving a cold devastation in its wake. 

She looked like she had something to say and hope blinked across his features- but then she turned, and he wondered how she made her body appear to move in slow motion. The front door opened and shut.

He went to light another cigarette but his tin was empty. He rose to wander over to where his tobacco and papers were in his office. As he went, every room he passed seemed to trigger a memory, ghosts in the shape of him and Rey putting on a play in his mind. His vision blurred. It took him a moment to realize tears were building up behind his eyes, burning hot. He landed in his office chair and realized he’d forgotten why he even went in there in the first place. He leaned back and shut his eyes, reigning in the stinging threat of tears.

The house was deafeningly silent.

And Hux was alone again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, you can find ways to support my writing on tumblr!


	25. Staring At The Ceiling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sadness and angst? In my smut fic? It's more likely than you think!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the shortest chapter I've ever posted AND it took me a month to write it? Why?  
> 1\. It hits really fuckin close to home!  
> 2\. I don't like writing sad stuff AND YET WE WOUND UP HERE SOMEHOW  
> 3\. I had a bad depression episode that lasted like most of August!  
> 4\. I burned the fuck out of my hand and literally couldn't type!
> 
> anyway, enjoy this pain burrito, I made it just for u

“Are you okay?”

It was a nice day outside. Really, it was. It was bright and cool and she was tucked comfortably on the plush sofa, wrapped in a cozy blanket with a fruity iced drink from Starbucks melting in her hand. The window was open and she could see the treeline from the park just beyond the building across the street. Birds were singing. New York really was lovely in springtime.

“Rey?”

She blinked and turned to see Finn with his own drink, looking at her with growing concern.

“What?” she asked distractedly. He sighed and stood, patting her shoulder as he went and she returned her attention to the open window. He turned on the TV for her before leaving, putting on a quiet, peaceful old anime. Something slice of life, without anything too upsetting. 

She’d felt like she was in a cloud ever since she’d arrived at Finn’s, never really quite there. In her head, she’d play over her fight with Hux on repeat or think of what she wish she’d said or what she _will_ say when she sees him again. Because she will see him again. At work. Constantly.

She let out a soft groan and slid further into her blankets, unable to keep herself from wondering where it had all gone wrong. She was an idiot. So fucking stupid. Her mind was shaken from the insults she hurled at herself mentally from the moment she’d left. It just didn’t make sense. She thought everything was going so well. How did it end up like this? 

She wiped a tear away and curled into a ball, trying to let the TV drown out her thoughts.

Hours passed this way until Finn came home. He frowned when he saw her right where he’d left her. Poe poked his head in to say hello, giving her a wink and flirtatious comment to try to get her to laugh but she only managed a weak smile. It felt strange in contrast to the huge grins she’d gotten so used to sporting lately but she couldn’t muster her normal cheerfulness. She felt empty. Drained.

When the two men kissed each other good night and shared whispered words, she turned her attention to the TV and tried to ignore the dull thud in her chest. The door closed gently and locked shut. 

Finn sat by her feet but she kept her eyes trained on the cartoon characters running around on the screen inanely. A beat passed awkwardly and he shifted in his seat, not knowing quiet what to say. Rey’d never really had a serious boyfriend before. He’d been shocked when what he’d thought would be just another quick fling turned into her living with the guy.

He looked at her nervously from the corner of his eye, searching for the right words to show her he was there for her. When she’d shown up at his door, he was expecting her to be angry like she’d been when she and Hux broke things off before. They had been through so much together but this kind of heartache? This was new. And he quickly realized he didn’t know how to help her.

“I didn’t know if you’d eaten yet but…,” he coughed, holding out a plastic bag with a box of takeout in it Rey hadn’t noticed before. She shook her head and took the box gratefully. 

“I forgot,” she mumbled, sitting up to open the box of food. 

“You _forgot_ ?” he asked incredulously as she poised a pair of chopsticks between her fingers and pushed a piece of chicken into her mouth. Her hair was a greasy mess piled into a bun and he noticed she was still wearing the pajamas she’d changed into yesterday. “Wait, have you had anything today besides that Starbucks earlier?”

She shrugged and eyed the empty plastic cup where it still sat on her friend’s coffee table guilty.

“Rey,” he sighed, pushing his fingers up against his eyelids. 

“I _know_ , Finn,” she cut him off, not sure she could stand hearing what she was sure would be a lecture. Rey could see herself through his eyes and the disappointment she felt was sickening. She felt so weak. He just rubbed her knee affectionately. She was sure she didn’t deserve it. 

They watched TV in near silence together, thankfully, as she continued to pick at her cold meal disinterestedly. He offered to heat it up for her but honestly? Right now, Rey just didn’t care enough. 

As minutes ticked by, she felt herself relax in his presence. She’d appreciated the alone time but him being there was a welcome comfort. The show distracted her enough that she managed to eat a bit more than she’d thought she would. Finn made a joke about a poorly dubbed line and she found herself grinning at him. 

“Where’d you get this from?” she asked, bringing a lump of fried rice to her mouth, “It’s good.”

“Some place Poe took me to. I wanna say Chan Lee? Something like that. Fancy as all hell. Living in Manhattan is a trip sometimes,” he snorted. 

Rey’s hand fell slowly as she remembered a day many months ago, when she’d dashed to Manhattan on the subway, her heart fluttering in her chest. She remembered the way a pair of sea foam eyes traced her figure and the light smell of warm tobacco. A chair held out for her. Excitedly talking about fabrics and patterns and music and art.

“Shun Lee Palace?” she asked quietly, her eyes downcast to her plate of food.

“Yeah, that’s it,” Finn said with a yawn, “Have you eaten there? Didn’t think it’d be your type of place.” 

Her fingers traced her lips idly and it was then that he noticed the look on her face, her eyebrows pinched together as if she was in pain.

“Yeah, you’d think that,” she muttered against her hand. She set aside her food, her appetite gone, scared away by the thought of autumn winds and black leather gloves on pale hands.

The credits rolled and he bumped her knee with his in his brotherly way. 

“Hey,” he murmured, taking her hand and making her look at him, “When do we get to pour sugar in his gas tank?”

“What?” she groaned with a small laugh and a shake of her head.

“You said next time he messed up, we could pour sugar in his gas tank,” Finn laughed, shaking her legs playfully. She leaned her head in her hand and gave him a pained smile.

“That won’t actually ruin the engine, you know,” she sighed, trying to keep her voice from cracking.

“Well, we’ll do something else, then!” he smiled, trying to coax another laugh from her. “Carve your name into the leather seats or something.”

“Yeah…,” she whispered, feeling her eyes begin to sting, “Finn?”

“What? What is it?” he asked, squeezing her hand.

“I- I think…I think I’m the one who messed up,” she sobbed, tears suddenly rolling down her face before she could stop them. His face fell and he quickly gathered her into his arms and began rocking her back and forth, making shushing noises into her hair as she cried on his shoulder.

“I messed up _really bad_ , Finn,” she gasped, her whole torso shaking with the force of her racking sobs.

“Oh, Rey,” he huffed, rubbing her back.

-

It was dark in Hux’s home office. The only light came from the blue glow of his computer. An empty whiskey glass sat in a wet ring to the side of his tablet and a cigarette burned in the crook of an ashtray, smoke curling up into the air. He stared at the screen with tired, discerning eyes, looking over the designs there with practiced objective scrutiny. 

They were daring and sexy, but really nothing he hadn’t done before. He moved the mouse to open several files and began flicking back and forth between the collections he’d done for La Premier in years past. He could see how his work had changed and adapted to fit the brand’s style, his tastes and influences molding to meet the needs of higher ups before finally evolving into what it had been for the last several years.

He scratched a hand over the stubble on his chin before pushing his hair away from where it hung over his forehead with a sigh. He had thought this was him realizing his true style, finally coming into his own. Now as he looked at the dark silks and sharp lines of this new collection, all he could think was that he’d stagnated. He’d stopped growing at the company long ago. He’d thought he was ascending to greatness, but where he once saw progress, he was now reminded of every design Snoke had thrown out or forced him to alter. He was haunted by the collection he and Rey had worked so hard on that had been wasted, thrown away like common refuse.

She was right to say Snoke didn’t know the first thing about fashion. And the way he ran the company wasn’t any better. How long had he been a senior designer for the man? In all that time, he couldn’t remember ever feeling secure in his position there. Other designers his age had their own labels, were building their own brands. He was always thinking about how he would keep his job, how he could reach the top. He was so certain that working for Snoke was the key to achieving success but were these even _his_ designs anymore? Where did his art end and Snoke’s influence begin?

His hands clenched, fingernails biting into his palms. He was just a pawn. A dog kept on a leash answering to his master. He felt disgusted. With a deep frown, he punched the keys on his keyboard and sent the designs out, the deadline for the new collection looming over his head like a dark storm.

As he scrubbed his hands over his face, pushing under his glasses, he felt every day of his age in the form of weary hands and dry eyes. Picking up the still burning cigarette, he took a final drag. The heat of the smoke burning his lungs had once been a familiar comfort. Tonight, it lacked its relaxing effects and he snuffed it out with a scowl, pressing the bud into the marble tray.

Rising on creaking, aching legs, he stretched his back and pulled his glasses off, tossing them onto the desk and shuffling out of the room. He left the bottle of whiskey open and the glass sitting in its small puddle, uncharacteristically careless and messy. Indeed, he didn’t feel quite himself at all. Everything was off-kilter since she’d left.

The house was too quiet at night. There were no children’s films playing, no worrisome noises coming from the kitchen where he was sure to find some kind of mess. It was peaceful. It made him agitated.

His home that was once his haven was now a cruel reminder that he had once been foolish to think he could ever have anyone in his life. That wasn’t his story. He knew that wasn’t what how his life would go. He wasn’t the hero who got the girl.

He hated the sight of himself in his bathroom mirror as he brushed his teeth. Not because of his unkempt appearance as he would have thought, but because the space beside him seemed so empty.

He lay down in the center of his bed. He couldn’t bear to sleep on just the one side. Even still, the bed was far too empty. He needed to wash the sheets but the smell of her lingered and as much as he hated his weakness, he couldn’t sleep without it anymore. He wanted so badly to have her there. To roll over and feel her pressed against him. She always felt so small next to his frame and yet he knew she was so, so strong. 

But she wasn’t his to hold anymore. He knew that. Knew what it meant when she said she “needed space”. This was the end for them.

He had so successfully deluded himself into thinking they could be together. That they could belong to one another. That she would be a part of his future. At all times, he was keenly aware of the presence of a ring he’d purchased in a mad moment of hope. It taunted him from its hiding place. His throat felt tight at the thought of it.

He hated that these thoughts kept him awake. There was a time when he’d fall asleep the moment he got into bed. Now he could only do so if he comforted himself with ridiculous fantasies. He imagined her unable to sleep as well. That she was also tossing and turning. He imagined her so restless from thoughts of him that she’d get up, pick up her phone and-

He nearly jumped straight up when his phone pinged loudly. He snatched it from his bedside table, heart pounding as one name thundered in his head. _Rey_.

He had an email notification. He opened it with shaking fingers. _God, please._

**From: u.snoke@lapremierorder.com  
Subject: RE: Fall Collection**

**Finally, something we can sell. I expect to see mock ups within the week.**

Hux nearly slammed his phone back down. He truly was a fool.

-

Rey lay awake on Finn’s couch. She stared at the ceiling, eyes red and bleary. She’d finally convinced her worried friend to go to bed but as soon as he was gone, the tears started flowing again. She clasped a hand over her mouth to keep quiet as she wallowed in the painful memories that seemed determined to plague her at night.

She had been so _angry_ and hurt when Hux had told her about Snoke scrapping the collection. Now, thinking about the way she’d dealt with her feelings made her stomach twist with embarrassment. She was no stranger to disappointment or anger. Those were feelings she had been very much in touch with since childhood and she knew their sting. It was why she spent so much time and energy protecting herself from them. 

But she had let him get close. Maybe that was her first mistake, going against her instincts to shut out anyone who got too close. But she found a strangely kindred spirit in him and she’d let herself trust and believe and hope. Once she was sober, she was mortified by her actions.

It wasn’t just the collection, she’d realized. It was their relationship. She felt betrayed. And that had led to panic. She looked for anyway not to feel the pain she’d feared was coming, but drinking only made her madder. 

That night, she couldn’t sleep either. She’d stared up at the ceiling then, too, tipsy and afraid, a thousand worries keeping her awake. If he could let this happen, she’d reasoned, then she couldn’t afford to trust him at all. She had to get out. Leave him before he left her.

His words still stung hot in her mind. But as she lay wrapped up in Finn’s extra blankets, her legs tucked on against her stomach on his couch, she realized felt impossibly lonely. She cried in a way that she hadn’t since she was young, wishing desperately that she could take it all back. Hit rewind to the moment he’d told her about the collection and never storm out of the building. Never pick up a bottle. Never leave their home.

She’d meant to prevent herself from feeling that familiar pain of abandonment, but somehow, she found herself feeling as small and stupid as she had as a child anyway, curled up on the damp, cold floor in New Mexico.

She bit her lip as tears trickled down her face and neck, soaking the couch cushions. What she would give to be _home_. Asleep next to someone she loved. She pictured herself snuggling up to Hux’s warm back, his skin smooth against her cheek. Her eyes drifted from the ceiling to her phone, sitting still and silent on the coffee table. She could so perfectly envision it. 

“Mr. Fox.” Large words illuminated against a bright screen. She would pick up in an instant and apologize and he would tell her he loved her and she would run to him. Things would go back to the way they were. She would make them breakfast and they’d sit and watch a movie with Millicent tucked under their feet. They would go to work together and he would watch her with barely concealed want, doing his best to remain professional in front of others and then allowing himself to place a hand against her lower back or steal a kiss when they were alone. 

Terror ran through her veins when she thought of seeing him at work now. How could she ever ask for his forgiveness? She forced her eyes shut and sent out a silent prayer to whoever was listening. _Please_ , she begged the universe, _please_. As she cried into her pillow, she couldn’t stop his name from tumbling from her lips and once that gate had opened, there was no closing it. She sobbed it softly, over and over again until she felt sleep pressing against her mind, heavy and thick as darkness edged its way into her blurred vision. Right before sleep claimed her at last, a single thought tortured her: God, what had she done? What had she _done_ ?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, you can find ways to support me on tumblr. Reblogs, comments, and your continued support keep me writing rarepair smut.

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything in a really long time so this is me shaking off the rust. Let me know what y'all think!
> 
> follow me: hattoripornzo.tumblr.com


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